Faces In The Hall
by NorthernxDownpour
Summary: High School AU: Spencer Reid is uprooted from his home in Las Vegas and is forced to move across the country to McLean, Virginia to live with his estranged father. Then he meets Derek Morgan in school and life gets so much more complicated.
1. Chapter 1

Spencer Reid walked down the congested hallway with his messenger bag strap grasped tightly in his hands. His old school hadn't been this crowded. The guidance counselor told him there were at least two thousand two hundred kids in the school, which was five hundred and fifty kids per grade—not that he had done that in his head or anything. In other words, there were a lot of people, and he wasn't sure he liked it too much. The fact of the matter was, however, he had no choice over it. He was living with his estranged father now, here in McLean. As much as he wanted to go home, he just couldn't.

As Spencer pushed his way through the crowded corridor he kept his eyes peeled for room 212: Mr. Rossi's twelfth grade calculus class. After several minutes, with little luck, (he had to go up and down the hall twice each way) he pulled out the school map that he had received earlier that morning. He scanned the paper quickly, looking up when he realized he was standing right in front of the room.

"Do you need some help kiddo?" A tall man asked him. He had greying brown hair, a goatee, and a kind smile.

"Are you uh, Mr. Rossi?" Spencer asked timidly.

"I am…" Mr. Rossi studied the boy up and down, "Are you uh, in my class?"

"Yeah," Spencer nodded and let out a little sigh of relief. "Glad I found this place before the bell rang." He brushed past Mr. Rossi and into the classroom; something he instantly regretted. Almost everyone in the room stopped their conversations to stared at him with quizzical, hard stares. Behind him, Mr. Rossi had entered.

"Are you Spencer Reid?" Mr. Rossi asked Spencer, his eyes still fixed on the class. Spencer nodded, and slowly made his way to an empty desk in the front corner of the room. The bell rang as Spencer slid into the chair. He kept his head down and eyes lowered. Mr. Rossi stepped to the front of the classroom and smiled at the students. "Welcome back," He began with a smile, "I hope you all had a wonderful summer, and are excited to start your senior year!" There were whoops of joy and whistles from the other students. Spencer was silent though. "I'd like you all to greet our new student, this is Spencer Reid." Mr. Rossi stepped over to Spencer's desk and looked down at him, "Spencer would you like to introduce yourself?"

"No," Spencer muttered, but when he saw that Mr. Rossi would not let up on the gaze he was giving him, he sighed and turned to face the students. "Hi, I'm Spencer. I'm from Las Vegas but um, now I'm here."

"What grade are you in?" Someone from the back of the room asked, which piped up several more comments.

"Yeah, you look like you're five!"

"The middle school is just down the road…"

"Are you kidding? The elementary school is looking for you."

"Hey!" Mr. Rossi shouted, the whole class flinched and quieted down, "This is not how we treat anyone in my classroom, or in this school." Murmured apologies could just be heard throughout the small room and Spencer looked at his hands. "Now, today we're going to start with a practice test. Just to see where you are, and what you remember from last year. It won't be graded, so don't worry. It's just an assessment." Their teacher walked over to his desk to grab a stack of tests. "Usually I'd start with the whole first-day-of-class spiel, but I thought I'd mix it up this year."

There were groans, and they weren't very quiet. Mr. Rossi made a bad joke about how he had a harder test for them at first, but his dog ate it, so this was just a quick one he'd whipped up before school, and that it wouldn't be too hard. Spencer rolled his eyes at the humor, and pulled out a pencil as he waited for his test to be handed to him.

"Last but not least." Mr. Rossi said placing the crisp white paper on his desk.

"Thanks," Spencer muttered quietly and looked at the first problem:

You are walking up a 500 meter high hill. The trail has an incline of 12 degrees. How far will you walk to get to the top?

"Too easy," Spencer said softly to himself, and ignored the look that Mr. Rossi threw over his shoulder at him. He had his calculator out, and turned it on, and pretended to punch in some numbers just so his classmates wouldn't think he was a freak (he was able to do this whole thing in his head). In two minutes he was done with the first page.

It only took him about ten minutes to finish all four pages. and He was punching in numbers on his TI-89 for the last problem when his fingers froze. The door had opened, and the most attractive person Spencer had ever seen was standing right inside the classroom doorway.

The boy who had just stepped inside Said person was tall, dark and handsome; every teenage girl's (and Spencer's) dream. He had piercing brown eyes, a little bit of stubble around his upper lip and chin. He wore dark jeans, a white tee shirt, and the most colorful Nikes he'd ever seen. Spencer glanced down at his own outfit and instantly felt foolish.

"And what is this?" Mr. Rossi asked, walking over to the newcomer.

"Sorry sir," He replied. His voice deep, but silky smooth, "I got caught up by Mr. Hotchner. He asked me to show some freshmen around to their classes. Here's my pass."

"Alright Mr. Morgan, I'll let this slide for now. Next time you see Mr. Hotchner you tell him that I need my students in class. Whether they're willing to help him out or not."

"Mr. Morgan" laughed, and God Spencer thought he was going to melt! It was loud, but not obnoxious, and genuine. "I will," He assured Mr. Rossi, "So what're we doing?"

"This practice test," He handed a copy to the attractive student, "You can take a seat in that desk right next to Mr. Reid."

"Alright."

"Oh, and Derek?"

"Yes Mr. Rossi?" The attractive one—"Mr. Morgan" or, Derek as Spencer now knew—turned around.

"Please, please tell me Gideon hasn't gotten you to play football this season. We need you unharmed for basketball."

Derek cracked a grin and shrugged, "The guy's convincing,"

"Automatic F if you can't play b-ball." Mr. Rossi pointed at him with a grin before sitting back down at his desk. Derek was a jock? Spencer thought he was going to die.

The feeling was intensified as Derek plopped into the desk next to Spencer. Pulling a pen out of his backpack he started to work on the first problem. Spencer couldn't help but watch him work…just to see if he was getting it right, that is. He was subtle with his looking, glancing over periodically. When Derek started the equation down, Spencer had to stop him.

"That's wrong," He muttered quietly, hoping Derek wouldn't hear him in the end.

"Huh?" The older boy asked, looking over at him.

"I…it's just that…well you wrote your equation wrong. If you do that wrong, then your whole solution will be wrong."

"Really?" Derek glanced over at Mr. Rossi, who was working on his computer all the way across the room, and didn't notice the two boys talking. "What did I do wrong?" He leaned in closer and whispered.

Spencer felt his heart beating out of time, "Well…uh…you see…" he reached over with his pencil in his hand, "You set it up as sin-twelve equals H over five hundred…it should really be sin-twelve equals five hundred over H."

Derek looked at the problem for a few more moments before he nodded, "Oooh, okay. I see that now. Uh, thanks." He offered a smile, flashing teeth whiter than the paper the test was on—if that were even possible.

"N-no problem," Spencer smiled slightly and then turned his eyes away. There was silence between the two boys again, until Spencer felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked back at Derek, "Yeah?"

"Um…I kind of forgot what to do next." Derek said.

Spencer lit up, and not just because the most attractive man ever was asking him for help. Spencer just really liked math. "Alright so next you rearrange the equation to isolate H…so it would be five hundred over sin-twelve equals H."

"Alright," Derek drawled out as he quickly wrote down what Spencer had said, "And then I think I figure out sin-twelve and plug that number into the equation?"

"Exactly," Spencer nodded, "The answer is two thousand four hundred."

"Okay, I just want to be thorough…what is sin-twelve…" Derek picked up his calculator to punch in the numbers.

"It's point-two-one." Spencer blurted out. Derek looked over at him with another one of his grins.

"Thanks," He said with laughter in his voice, "You're crazy at math. What problem are you on?"

"I…uh, I'm done?"

"Seriously?"

"Yeah."

"Jesus, how do you remember this stuff? It was like last year's work…I totally forgot all of it over the summer."

"Well you see, I—." Spencer began but was cut off by Mr. Rossi's voice.

"Alright guys, thanks to the assembly this afternoon, class is cut short. The bell's about to ring, so pack up, and take that test with you. It is your homework for tonight if you haven't finished," Most of the kids groaned, which lead Spencer to believe they weren't even close to done. "Ah don't whine guys, you don't see me for two days so you can do it tomorrow night if you want to put it off. Seriously, I give you such good breaks on this stuff."

The bell let out a shrill ring then, and the class bolted. out the door Leaving Spencer slowly packing up his things, and Derek just making his way over to Mr. Rossi's desk. Spencer shyly stepped over as well, listening to a bit of their conversation.

"So what position does he have you in?"

"Running back,"

"Aw Jesus Derek, I swear to God if you get hurt—you're our star shooting guard!"

"I promise to play safe Coach, but you know I'm faster than all the players out there! They won't be able to catch this," He laughed and pointed at his face.

"Yeah, yeah Morgan; call me selfish, but I want to see varsity basketball with the title this year, not football."

"Don't get all heated up right now," Derek said, "It'll be good. I gotta get to Ecology though, see you later Coach." He turned to leave the room when he spotted Spencer behind him, "Oh hey, kid." He smiled, "Thanks for the pointers today. I'll catch you later."

"B-bye!" Spencer stammered out goofily, and watched as Derek left the room and turned down the hallway.

"Can I help you Mr. Reid?" Mr. Rossi asked.

"I, uh, sorry, um yeah…I have this for you." He handed him the completed test. Mr. Rossi took it and flipped through it.

"Very, very impressive Mr. Reid," He said with surprise, setting it aside.

"Thanks." Spencer shrugged, "It was nothing though."

"Clearly," Mr. Rossi leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers under his chin, "Mr. Reid, I know your situation. Your guidance counselor informed me, as I'm sure she did your other teachers as well. I do not have any doubts about your success in this class."

Spencer nodded and began to twist the toe of his shoe against the tiled floor.

"I just want you to know that, if you're ever in need of someone to talk to, you can come to me."

"Alright Mr. Rossi, thank you."

"Here take this," Mr. Rossi scribbled on a piece of red paper. It was a late pass. Spencer accepted it and then took hold of the strap of his messenger bag, a habit that he'd acquired when he started school.

"See you tomorrow Mr. Rossi," He said, exiting the classroom.


	2. Chapter 2

His AP Literature and Writing teacher gave him the same up and down look that Mr. Rossi had given him as he stepped into the classroom. Spencer was actually late this time, straggling in a good two minutes after the bell had wrung. But he couldn't help it; the crowds of people that swarmed through the halls weren't easy to push through.

"You must be Spencer Reid," Ms. Strauss said flatly, "Thank you for joining us; I'll take your pass." Spencer stepped forward and handed her the slip of paper. She took it in between two manicured fingers and then glanced at it. "Alright, take a seat next to Penelope please."

Spencer turned towards the class which was not as big of a group of students as his Calculus class was. Scanning the faces he spotted one towards the back of the room that wore a huge smile. The girl waved at him and he figured she was Penelope. Walking over he slid into the empty desk next to her. "Hi,"

"Hi there!" She said exuberantly and Spencer noticed, now that he was closer, she was wearing huge lime green zipper earrings that looked larger than her ears themselves. "I'm Penelope, but most call me Garcia, so feel free to use the nickname if you please."

Spencer smiled and said, "Did you know that Elias Howe created the first zipper? It was called: the automatic continuous clothing closure."

"Uh?" Garcia asked giving him a look.

"It never hit the market though because Howe was too busy with making the sewing machine. Whitcomb L. Judson was the first inventor to really get it out to people."

Garcia's face went from confused to the largest possible smile, "Oh. My. God!" She squeaked.

Spencer's eyebrows knitted together, "I…um…"

"You, my friend, are the _cutest _little thing I have ever seen! What's your name? Wait, right, Spencer Reid, I heard Ms. Strauss say it. Where are you from? You must be new here I haven't seen you around before. Unless! Unless, are you a senior? You look a little young…"

Everything Garcia was saying came out in one long breathless sentence and it was now Spencer's turn to look at her with raised eyebrows, though a small smile tugged at his lips. "So that was really fast."

Garcia cracked a grin, "I've been told that countless times my dear one. May I call you Reid? It sounds a little better than _Spencer_." She said his first name with a crackly voice that made him laugh.

"Sure, you can call me Reid." He nodded.

"Great!" She said, and then her face turned serious, "So really, I am curious. Why do you look like you're so…small?"

"I uh," Reid rubbed the back of his neck, "I'm fifteen?"

"What?" Garcia squeaked, earning a look from Ms. Strauss and the whole class. "I mean…what?" She lowered her voice to a stage whisper.

Reid was going to reply to her but again, he was cut off by the teacher.

"Welcome everyone. I am Ms. Strauss if you do not know me. I've been working here for longer than you have been alive, and I will not take gum-chewing in my class." She pointed to a jock-looking guy in the back of the room who matched her hard gaze for several moments before groaning, rising out of his seat, and walking over to the trashcan to spit it out. "Thank you LaMontagne, for you cooperation; now class this is Writing and Literature AP for twelfth graders. I hope that you are excited for a year of grand literature, prose and poetry. We will explore everything from Shakespeare to Fitzgerald and sometimes, if we have time, I love to read the Beat Poets…but don't tell anyone, they're not part of the curriculum."

Reid listened to her as she explained the course and what they would be doing. She passed out sheets of paper with the course expectations and the list of books they'd be reading. He didn't even take a look at it, because he most likely had read everything on the list. His mother had been a professor of 15th Century Literature, and taught him everything she educated her class with. He was only taking this class because he was required to.

As Ms. Strauss continued to speak, Garcia cleared her throat and elbowed him in the side—not very subtly—and handed him a piece of pink paper folded up in a funky shape. Reid raised his eyebrow but wasn't surprised. He took it and opened it slowly, reading the message in neat print.

_Wait soooo you're fifteen? _

Reid picked up his pencil and in his messy scrawl replied.

_It's a __**REALLY **__long story. _

He returned the pink paper to Garcia who took it, read the message, and wrote back.

_We have time! We're stuck here forever and I don't know about you, but I know all this stuff already. I'm just stuck here because I have no other choice. _

Reid looked at Garcia's message and smiled. They were going to get along well.

_Well see, I'm from Nevada originally—Las Vegas that is. I lived with my mom because my dad left us and moved here when I was really young. My mom was a professor when I was younger. She taught 15__th__ Century Literature course and she used to fill up these notebooks with poems and stories and give them to me, and I'd read them in my spare time. And I also studied everything. It's just all so interesting to me, and I can't specify what "all" is because I mean the whole shebang. I uh, also have a freakishly high IQ…I mean they call it "genius" but I call it…super smart? _

Garcia took the paper back and read through it with wide eyes. Then she handed a new note back.

_That explains so much…what's your IQ exactly?"_

Reid wrote it down quickly.

_187…_

When Garcia replied the sound of her pen scraping against the desk could be heard.

_**HOLY CRAP!**_

Reid laughed.

_Thank you? _

Garcia nodded and pulled out a new sheet of paper to start a new sheet of notes.

_You're welcome. That's CRAZY! So, you're like…going to college after this? _

Reid replied and had to quickly cover the pink paper up as Ms. Strauss walked by, handing out another sheet of paper. This time, it was her "formal essay" sheet with all the instructions on how any essay written should look. Reid thought it was a dumb idea telling kids how they should lay out their writing but, he wasn't going to argue.

_Um well, I'm a senior. We go to college after high school. Well. Most of us at least. _

Garcia rolled her eyes as she scribbled down her response.

_Oh, you know what I mean! _

Reid gave her a look and then wrote:

_Do I? O_o_

Garcia smiled and wrote a longer note this time.

_Well young Reid, I think that we can grow to be very good friends this year seeing as we're both highly educated individuals—me less than you, but I'm sure that's alright with you. Do you happen to know what you have next and what lunch that takes? We can continue this conversation with words and not through written notes on my fabulous _Hello Kitty_ paper. _

Reid looked at the corner of the sheet and saw the white cat with the bow on its head. He had never seen this before, but he thought the cat looked really damn creepy.

_Next I have AP Physics but I'm not sure what lunch science courses take…_

Garcia was quick with her reply.

_Physics with Mr. Gideon? _

Spencer peeked at his schedule while Ms. Strauss wasn't looking.

_Wonderful my little one :] follow me after class! _

Reid didn't argue, he just held onto the paper and gave a nod to Garcia. She smiled and winked and then turned her attention back to Ms. Strauss who was talking about respect in the classroom, or something like that. Reid always rolled his eyes at those speeches, because he knew that no matter what, teachers would never get the respect they wanted from every student. It was just common sense.

A little after the note-sharing had stopped, the bell rang, and the class hopped out of their seats and bolted out of the room faster than his Calculus class had. Garcia was still packing up her stuff by the time the last kid ran out the door. Ms. Strauss was at her desk not paying the students any mind, and Reid was fidgeting as he waited for his new friend.

"So Reid, it's off to lunch we go!"

Garcia walked past him and Reid took that as his cue to follow. He has to jog to keep up with her for a bit and as he did he asked, "Are you in science too, right now?"

"I'm in your class silly!" Garcia laughed, "AP Physics with Mr. Gideon…get excited, he's a cool guy."

"Is he a coach?" Reid asked.

"Football, why?" Garcia replied.

"I heard someone mention it before. Do he and Mr. Rossi not get along?"

"They're actually best friends. Bromance to the max," Garcia laughed.

"Ooh…okay."

"You're just a cute one." Garcia turned around and ruffled his brown hair. Reid fixed his glasses and smiled. Garcia led him to the cafeteria and asked, "Do you need to buy lunch?"

Reid shook his head and held up his _Thundercats _lunch pail, "Nope, I'm all good."

Garcia gasped and said, "Spencer Reid I think I love you more and more by the minute," before she began to examine the metal box. "Thundercats…they are so amazing. Alright!" Garcia was quick to recover from her moments. "I know for a fact that my good friends all have this lunch, because, we are all in the same Physics class!"

"That's…nice?"

"It is nice," Garcia nodded, "Surely you know what it's like to have lunch with your friends?"

"No…"

"No?"

"I didn't really have _friends _back in Vegas." Reid admitted.

"And why is that?"

"Because when you're twelve years old and in ninth grade, not too many people like you."

"Oh you poor thing." Garcia reached out and patted a consoling hand on his shoulder. "You can share my friends with me….aha! I spot JJ at this moment!" She grabbed Reid by the wrist and dragged him across the cafeteria to a long table where a blonde girl sat alone, pouring salad dressing in a container of fresh lettuce. "JJ my good comrade," Garcia plopped down in the chair across from her and then pulled the one next to herself out for Reid.

"Hey Garcia," JJ grinned and then looked at Reid, "Who's this?"

"This is Mr. Spencer Reid. He's brand new from Las Vegas and he's in our Physics class!"

"Hi!" The girl—JJ—outstretched her hand, "Jennifer Jareau, but everyone 'round here calls me JJ."

"Nice to meet you JJ," Reid smiled and shook her dainty hand. "I'm Spencer, but you can call me Reid if you want."

"I think I'll call you Spence." JJ said with a smile, "I've always liked that nickname."

"Well, that works too." Reid smiled.

"Little Reid here is only fifteen!" Garcia said with a grin, "Cool right?"

"Wait, wait, wait... what?" JJ was going to take a bite of her salad, but stopped abruptly as Garcia mentioned his age.

Reid was about to explain when again, for a third time, somebody cut him off.

"Garcia, JJ, who's this?"

Everyone turned to face a tall, dark haired girl. "Em," Garcia smiled, "Meet my new pal Spencer Reid. Reid for short."

"Hi there," Emily took a seat next to JJ and leaned over to press her lips to the blonde girl's cheek quickly. "I'm Emily Prentiss."

"Reid is in our Physics class," Garcia told the new comer.

"And he's only fifteen!" JJ said with her eyes still wide and curious.

"Wait!" Emily exclaimed, "Are you a senior?"

"Well you see—."

"Oh, hey kid!"

Reid was really, really getting sick of people cutting him off, but when he looked over to see who the voice belonged to, his heart sped up and he was positive it may have skipped a beat.

* * *

**A/N: **Hi there!

Soo let me start off with: thank you for your kind reviews and your eagerness to find out what happens next! It's very exciting to know people are interested.

As you can see, Reid has a new friend in this chapter! And, well, the beginning of two other new friends. Couldn't leave JJ and Emily waiting could I?

Anyway, I thought I would give you a few alerts now:

We'll start with an easy one: **There will be femmslash in this story. If you have not picked up on it yet, it is between Prentiss and JJ. If that concerns you or upsets you in any way, I apologize and ask you to please not send me hateful comments. I did warn you.**

Now that, that one is done, I should let you know that though in the show Reid's father does not live in Virginia, I picked McLean because a) it's close to where the show actually takes place and b) I myself lived there for a bit a few months ago. But I should warn you that I will be writing things that are very out of the ordinary for McLean High School. NO OFFENSE TO ANYONE IF YOU ARE READING THIS AND YOU GO THERE/YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO GOES THERE, but I must say that the majority of students there are not very open to homosexuality, though I will be making several characters in the story out-and-proud. At least from what I could tell, they weren't.

Next, I think you all should know that I am just getting into the TV show avidly, and I am not too knowledgeable when it comes to exact details of character's backgrounds, though I am trying my hardest. If something seems off in this chapter or in any other chapters to come, please let me know so I can try to fix it.

Finally, I hope you've all noticed that the names of teachers and names of people from the show. I've been trying to use older characters for teachers, but since there aren't too many, I will be using agents who aren't with the BAU any longer as teachers, even if they are some of the younger ones.

Phew, that was a lot.

Again, thank you for reading this so far, and also if I've offended anyone, please know that it was not my intention, and I sincerely apologize.

KoBrA kId


	3. Chapter 3

"Mr. McDreamy Morgan, you know my man Reid?" Garcia asked Derek who was standing behind Emily.

"I do Baby Girl; we're in Calc first period together." Derek replied to Garcia, but kept his eyes on Reid. Reid felt his heart flutter and sink at the same time. The eye contact was exciting him, but the term of endearment he had used with Garcia was making him doubt any chance that the older boy was interested in other men.

"Well now you're in Physics third period with him, too." Garcia smiled.

"Really?" Derek looked at Reid, "Are you crazy smart at Physics like you are Calc?"

Reid simply shrugged; he was at a loss of words.

"Um, Young Reid here is a genius!" Garcia exclaimed then looked at Reid, "Do you mind my talking about you?"

Reid shrugged again. He really didn't care. At least Garcia's 'talking about him' wasn't rude and hurtful like it had been at his last school.

"Alright, well, as I was saying, not going into the whole story but…this boy is a genius! I mean, you have to be insanely smart to be fifteen and a senior, right?"

Derek looked right at Reid again and he could read the visible surprise with a hint of gloominess in his eyes. "You're f-fifteen?"

"Almost sixteen…that'll happen in October." He replied quickly and Derek's expression only changed slightly.

"That's…well that's just crazy. How do you come about getting so smart to be a senior in high school at fifteen?" JJ asked, genuinely interested.

"Well. It's a long story."

"Which I had time for in AP Lit, so we most definitely have time for it now," Garcia nudged Reid who gave her a skeptical look. "Aw, c'mon do not look so gloomy, Reid! I would not allow you to tell such things to these people if I didn't trust them with everything."

"Yeah, Spencer," Emily nodded, "We're not here to mock you or anything. We're truly curious!" There was something about Emily that Reid trusted. He did not doubt her honesty at all, and he had only known her for several minutes.

"Okay, well…you see…" Reid began, fidgeting in his chair only a bit and only because he was under the gaze of Derek Morgan. He told the group everything that he had told Garcia through their note-passing but with a bit more detail. However, he left out the reason why he moved. That one was a little touchy and he didn't know these people well enough to tell them yet.

"But, so why did you move exactly?" JJ asked, and Reid knew someone would be curious.

"I, uh, don't wanna talk about that one." He said looking down at his hands. The group could clearly tell he was upset, and no one pushed him. Instead Garcia spoke up changing the subject entirely.

"Where is that William? I saw him run out of Lit, but I feel like he would have met up with us by now."

"Why Penelope, you don't have to worry any longer." Everyone looked up to see William standing there with a tray of food in his hands, "Although I am flattered that you're so concerned about me, love." He drawled out the words in a thick accent, using a high-pitched tone as if mocking a Southern Belle. "And my, my, what do we have here?"

"William, meet Reid. He's in our Lit class."

"Oh yeah, I saw you earlier. The name's William LaMontagne; nice to meet you."

Reid smiled and shook William's outstretched hand. He liked these kids already. They were all so nice, and weren't acting strange because of his age confession. They had gotten over it already, accepted that he was a freakishly smart child, and it didn't bother them one bit. "Spencer Reid."

William walked around the table and took a seat next to Garcia who turned a shade of pink. While started a small side conversation about football with Derek (who had seated himself next to JJ, away from Reid), the girls across the table gave her one of those looks. Their eyebrows were raised and there were suggestive smiles on their lips.

"Oh my goodness you two, stop!" Garcia swatted at them, but couldn't conceal her smile, "Just…stop!"

Reid looked at JJ and Emily, "Is there something going on that I should know about?"

Garcia turned to Reid and hissed, "No, no, no!"

But JJ giggled and said, leaning in and almost whispering, "Besides the fact that William has the biggest crush on Garcia, nope."

Garcia looked at Reid and said, "If you believe one word that they say, I will hit you. Hard. In the head."

"Don't listen to her," Emily laughed, "Garcia wouldn't hurt a fly."

"Dang it!" Garcia exclaimed, "She's right…"

"We're right about a lot of things." JJ laughed, "We lesbians are very prone to picking up on feelings."

"We are, aren't we?" Emily smiled and took JJ's hand. The two shared one of those mushy smiles that was cut off by Derek and Will's cat calls.

"Oh my God you two," JJ rolled her eyes, "You are just sick, perverted little boys."

"Aw JJ, why you gotta be so mean?" Will pouted though he was smiling.

"Why do you _have to _be so gross?" Emily retorted, correcting his grammar.

"And Derek, I'm especially surprised that you take part in such things with this one." JJ reached across the table and flicked Will in the nose. "You're not even into this."

"It's funny watching you two get so defensive." Derek shrugged.

"We could all just get along!" Garcia intervened jokingly.

"Oh Penelope, you are such a peacemaker." Will looked over at her with playful eyes that had a deeper compassion hidden in them. Garcia glanced over at him quickly to nod and then looked back at the sandwich she was eating.

"Say, thanks." She muttered before taking a bite and Emily and JJ had to conceal their giggles. Garcia shot them a glare, and the sucked their lips into their mouths to keep from smiling.

Will threw his hands up into the air and said, "My goodness! Are we going to keep this going for another year?" He exclaimed and then looked at Reid, "Spencer, what do you do when women don't pick up on your hints?"

All eyes at the table turned to Reid and he felt like a bug under a microscope. He hated when people put him on the spot like that. He opened and closed his mouth a few times to say something, but nothing came out. He could feel Derek's eyes on him more than the others and he felt as if he could crack at any moment under the gaze. "I uh…I've never really talked to girls?"

"Alright, alright, men?" Will asked.

The feeling of Derek's eyes on him bore into him more, now with the question of his sexuality out on the table. Reid was actually sweating up a storm, and he dropped the sandwich he was clutching to wring his hands nervously. He had never told anyone that he was questioning his orientation, not even his mom whom he had been very close with.

"Hey, Will," JJ said sternly, "Don't do this to him." She reached out and touched Reid's wrist. "You don't have to answer him Spence, he's just a dumbass."

"I resent that!" William exclaimed.

"You made Reid uncomfortable," Emily pointed out, "That's a pretty dumbass thing to do."

"Way to go, Billyboy." Derek gave him a light slap on the back of his head and Will growled in protest.

"Alright, is it pick-on-Will day today?" He threw his hands up, "I'm sorry Spencer, and I didn't mean to upset you in any shape or form. Can you forgive me?"

Reid nodded, but he was still a little apprehensive, because he could feel Derek's eyes on him again.

"Hey kid," The deep voice began, "Are you sure you're okay?"

Reid looked up and met Derek's dark eyes, "Yeah, yeah don't worry about me. I'm just…oh you know the stress of a new school and everything." Derek looked at him skeptically and Reid continued, "Truly, Will didn't do anything wrong. I'm not upset or anything. Just because I'm a young one doesn't mean I'm fragile." He smiled.

"As long as you're sure," Emily began slowly.

"I'm positive." Reid laughed, "I mean, I'm fifteen, not five."

"We can be a bit overwhelming…" JJ told him.

"Seriously, don't let my age monitor anything you do. It's honestly not a big deal." Reid was being sincere.

"Alright," Garcia nodded, "But if we ever—."

"Guys…"

"Alright, alright, alright!" Garcia laughed, "Okay you've made yourself clear."

"Thank you," Reid smiled, and after the whole awkwardness that had happened before, he was opening up to these friends a little more, "Now, does anyone mind telling me a bit more about, well, everything?"

* * *

**A/N: **Chapter three is complete!

Though, I must say, it was not my best writing, and I apologize for that ):

So, now that all the friends are introduced, and they have decided to not act awkward over Reid's age, the story can continue freely. I just had to get this one, poorly written chapter out that settles the whole thing over his age and what not. And I had to establish the certain love interests! But yeah, anyway, I hope you guys aren't too mad that this chapter was kind of thumbs-down, I promise that chapter four will pick up with awesomeness again.

Love, Kobra Kid.


	4. Chapter 4

After lunch, the six students went up to their physics class. Like most teachers on the first day of school, Mr. Gideon was standing outside of his room, greeting kids as they entered the class. When Derek and Will approached he smiled and said, "There they are, my superstars."

"Hey coach," Derek shook Mr. Gideon's hand, and so did William.

"Tell me Derek, how mad was Rossi when you told him you were playing football again, this season?"

Derek let out his lovely laugh that made Reid want to melt and said, "He was a little angry."

"He doesn't get that you have a better shot at getting a football scholarship than you do a basketball scholarship."

Derek shrugged, "I'm just hoping to get a scholarship."

"And how are you Will? Did you rest this weekend, I know your shoulder was bothering you on Friday."

"I did Coach," Will nodded, "I'm all good to go for this afternoon."

"That's a relief. I had to stick Charlie Brenshaw in this weekend while you were taking it easy. That kid would not last a period as Quarter Back in a real game."

"I suppose that means I'm not allowed to get hurt this season?"

"No. You're not." Mr. Gideon laughed, and then he said, "Hey, who's this?"

Reid shook himself out of his space-out and looked around. He realized that JJ, Emily and Garcia had all entered the room and he was standing gawkily behind Derek and Will. "I uh…I'm Spencer Reid?"

"Ah! The most talked about student this year!"

"I'm flattered?"

"It's not every day that a school gets a student like you!" Mr. Gideon clapped him on the back, and Reid winced. "Not very strong, are you? Ever considered weight lifting?"

"No." Reid said flatly. He had the same conversation with his dad a few days prior and no matter who he was talking to, he always got very upset when the topic came up.

"Alright, alright I get it. It's not everyone's thing. But Physics is, so let's get going." He ushered the three boys into the classroom and closed the door behind him. "Hi guys! If you haven't figured it out yet, you're sitting alphabetically."

Groans erupted throughout the room and Mr. Gideon rolled his eyes.

"Don't blame me! I've been dealing with pain-in-the-butt kids who sit next to their BFFs and talk every class for too long. So, I've put a text book on each desk with a card on it. The cards have your names on them. Find your card."

The class scurried around to find where their seats were. Reid saw that Derek and Will were seated next to each other, and though he knew it was silly of him, he was a little jealous of Will. He wanted to sit next to Derek in yet another class; help him with anything else he needed. Looking away from them he searched for his name still, when he heard Emily shout, "Reid!"

He looked up, "Yeah?"

"You're sitting next to me," She patted the seat of the desk next to her, "And don't even complain."

Reid grinned and walked over to his desk, sliding into it and pulling out a spiral notebook. Emily took out her own notebook and pink pen. After knowing her for only an hour or so, Reid knew she definitely was not the type to use such a thing, and she must have seen his thoughtful expression because she scowled at him.

"JJ gave it to me."

"That explains so much," Reid laughed and Emily gave him another look.

"Okay, hi there everyone." Mr. Gideon stood up in front of the class, in front of the whiteboard. "I'm Mr. Gideon as you may or may not know. I go by Mr. Gideon or Coach. Whichever one floats your boat; you may call me, but nothing else. So! You're all here to learn Physics at an advanced level!"

As he continued his annual first-day speech, Reid spaced out and stared at the back of Derek's head. Even from behind, he was gorgeous. He just wanted to run his fingers through his short, curly hair and feel his big strong hands against his skin—

"Reid!" Emily whispered, poking him with the pink pen. Spencer turned his hand and looked over to her. She gave him a questioning look. "You were staring…"

"I uh…"

"At Derek?"

Reid looked away from her to hide his guilty eyes and blushing cheeks.

"Oh my _God_!" Emily whispered with an ear-to-ear grin.

"Just…don't."

Emily noticed that Mr. Gideon was catching on to their chatter in the back, so she scribbled a note quickly. The pink ink made the words on the page even more mocking.

_You SO like him._

Reid glowered and wrote a reply.

_One: you SO sound like you're twelve years old. Two: what is up with you girls and passing notes?_

Emily poked him again—really hard—in the side due to his comment.

_You would know how twelve year olds act because you're like ten…_

Reid usually would take offense to the remark, but he knew Emily was a defensive person by nature (Reid was good at profiling people), and didn't take it to heart.

_Yeah well, you've stooped to my level =p. _

He added the tongue sticky-outtie face to let her know that he wasn't hurt by her last note, because he could visibly see the guilt in her expression.

_Okay anyway! Seriously…do you think the Morgan Machine is hotttt? _

Reid bit back a laugh.

_Hotttt? Didn't we just discuss this? Twelve years old…._

_Okay, okay sorry._

_Thank you. You should be. Anyway, I've known you for two minutes, why would I let you in on my personal feelings? _

_Because you know that I mean no harm._

That was true. Emily got him there. He really did like Emily…and the others. They were all so open and nice that he really did trust them with most of his personal feelings.

_Ugh. You win…_

Emily smiled in her success.

_Knew it. Do you? _

_Yes. _

That was Reid's simple reply. He couldn't lie because he knew his face showed it anyway. How else could Emily have guessed?

_Well, I have exciting news for you then._

_You're taking me to Disney World? _

_No. Smart ass. Derek is gay. _

The three words that finished her fragmented sentence made his heart race like he had just run the Boston Marathon—not that he really knew what that was like. Reid did not do sports or anything related to exercise.

_He is? _

_Yep. And, I can tell when he's interested. Today at lunch, he was staring you down like prey. _

_Oooh great, that's a good analogy…_

_Fine, fine: at lunch he was staring at you with interest. _

Reid's heart fluttered.

_Are you being dead serious right now? _

_Yes. I would not lie to you Spencer Reid._

Reid took a deep breath and was grinning uncontrollably. He trusted Emily's every word. Derek was showing _interest! _He knew that Spencer was on the verge of jail bait (depending on Derek's age…which Reid was not sure about), only a kid, but was still _interested? _ He thought his face might fall off, he was smiling so much.

Emily and Reid had spent the whole class discussing this matter, because as soon as he was about to scribble his reply, the bell rang. Reid got up slowly and put his notebook back in his messenger bag. Emily packed up quickly and they made their way to the front of the room where the rest of the group was waiting by the door for them. Reid made sure to watch Derek, but subtly, to see if he was still expressing the interest he had supposedly showed at lunch.

"So, what does everyone have next?" Garcia asked.

Derek and Will had a weight lifting class with Mr. Rossi (whom Reid figured out doubled as a math _and _gym teacher), and was not surprised. Emily and Garcia were going off to the same Spanish class which they seemed very excited about. Reid looked at his schedule to see he would be going to a Government and Law AP class with a Ms. Greenaway and as it turned out JJ would be joining him.

"Well, we'll see each other at the assembly?" Derek asked and Reid looked up to see that he had hopeful eyes that were planted right on Reid's face.

"Y-yeah." He stuttered through his giant smile. Emily was totally right, his eyes said more than 'hope to see you at the assembly'; Spencer could see a hint of 'hope to get you alone sometime' flickering in them.

"Alright, well, ¡adios amigos!" Garcia exclaimed as she and Emily walked towards the World Language hallway. Derek and Will waved their goodbyes and headed down the stairs to the gym. JJ smiled warmly at Reid.

"Alright, I'll show you where we're going." She began to walk and Reid had to jog to keep up with her at first.

"Why are we running?" He whined. He actually whined.

"You have to learn to be assertive in these hallways." JJ told him. "Or else you get pushed around and are late for class."

"Like I haven't learned that already…" Reid muttered.

"So, how does it feel knowing that you've made friends with the nerdy, kickass crowd?"

"It's weird." Reid admitted.

"How so?" JJ asked, simply curious.

"At my old school, you were a nerd or you were popular. There was no in between. Even if you were starting line quarter—or whatever they call it—,"

JJ interrupted him to say, "Quarter Back sweetie."

"Yeah, yeah, Quarter Back. If you were one of those, but were also in an AP course, you were still labeled a nerd."

"That's so strange." JJ commented. "It's funny too because though he's in honors and AP courses, Will is nowhere close to nerdy…"

"Exactly. Here you have the in between. It's just strange for now. I'll get used to it by tomorrow. I'm good at adapting."

"Clearly," JJ smiled at him, "This is our room, by the way." They turned into a classroom where a tall, redhead stood writing something on the board. She heard her first students of the period enter and turned around to greet them.

"Hi! Welcome to Government. Sit down anywhere you'd like. I'm Ms. Greenaway…I can take your names now."

"I'm Jennifer Jareau," JJ told her.

"And I'm Spencer Reid."

"Jennifer…and Spencer. Great! Welcome." Ms. Greenaway gave them another smile before she went back to the board. As more students poured in, JJ and Spencer engaged in small talk about Vegas and his life before Virginia, before class started.

Finally after a few minutes it seemed that everyone had arrived, and Ms. Greenaway called attention to the class. She took attendance and then did a quick overview.

"I don't believe in giving you handouts on how you should act, and what I expect. I think you guys know that stuff by now." She had told them. "Plus, it saves us some time to get a feel for what we know about the government and law right now."

They started by reviewing the different branches of the law, and all that jazz: the stuff that Reid knew already and could recite in his sleep. It was nice at first, the review session. Everyone was reciting what they memorized in text books in earlier years of school and Reid was doodling in his notebook. But after that, Ms. Greenaway brought up a question that started to make things uncomfortable.

"Alright, now that, that's out of the way, what are some laws that you're hearing about in the news right now? They can be recent as in a few days ago, or in the past ten years. But nothing like…I don't know…prohibition in the 1920s."

The first comment was from a dumb jock. Spencer didn't even have to turn around to know that. "Don't ask don't tell."

"Good, good. That's a good one to talk about. Who knows what's going on with that one?" Ms. Greenaway scanned the class and then called on JJ. "Yes, Jennifer?"

"Well, you can call me JJ if you'd like, everyone else does."

"Okay, I will remember that."

"Also, don't ask, don't tell is the law that prohibits anyone from serving in the army and being openly gay. The question now is, are we ready to repeal it? Several branches of the US Army are saying that they're ready for it to be revoked. I believe that the marines are the only ones who are on the fence."

"Very good JJ!" Ms. Greenaway praised her, "And, what's your opinion on the repeal?"

"I think that, if someone is out there fighting for our country, they should be allowed to serve out and proud. Being gay is nothing to be ashamed or grossed out by; therefore people should not have to hide it."

The dumb jock that brought the topic up snorted, "I wouldn't want to serve with a homo. They might try to rape me."

Ms. Greenaway turned away from the board where she was writing: _don't ask, don't tell—repeal? _ She glared at the student and said, "I do not appreciate that type of talk in my classroom."

There were only snickers in reply, which made Reid shake his head. People were no better at his old school, but anywhere he went kids like the jock who had just said that made him sick.

"Alright, how about another one?"

"Gay rights!" Another asshole jock laughed.

"Yeah, faggots want to get married to each other!" someone else chimed in.

Ms. Greenaway didn't get a chance to reprimand them because Spencer had turned around with a snarl and said, "That's because LGBT Americans have the right to be married to each other. The Deceleration Of Independence states that _'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness' _and by denying homosexuals the right to have rights that heterosexual people have, that's totally denying liberty and the pursuit of happiness!"

"You're probably a fag, and that's why you're defending them." The first jock said, "Being a fag is just gross and God says—."

"_That is enough!_" Ms. Greenaway slammed her hand down on her desk, "This activity has _never _been this out of control—and in an _advanced placement _course? You can call that stereotypical, but you are acting immature and I will not have it! If this is too hard for any of you to discuss without using crude terms, please leave this instance. If you stay, I expect you to apologize for your comments, and to mature in sixty seconds."

There were mutters of 'sorry' in the back of the room, and Spencer could feel his flushed face cool down a bit. Once everyone was calm again, JJ spoke up.

"I happen to agree with Spence," She said, "I know for a fact that one day I would like to be married, and it would be nice if I could do it in any state as opposed to only Connecticut, DC, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont." That was her unofficial way of stating she was a lesbian.

There was dead silence from the back of the room until one person muttered, "Too bad, she was hot."

JJ ignored the comment, kept her head up, and rolled her eyes. Reid respected her for her strength.

"I am done with the topic of Gay and Lesbian _anything _until this class can learn to be respectful. Maybe I should type up forms telling you how you must act and make your parents sign them. Would you like that?"

"No." The class said in unison.

"Alright, who knows another law that's been mentioned recently?" A skinny kid a few rows away from Reid and JJ raised his hand. "Yes, Thomas?"

"Well, after the Arizona shootings, they have been talking about making it harder for mentally ill people to acquire fire arms."

"Oh yeah, wasn't the kid that shot everyone like schizophrenic?" A girl asked.

"Fucking crazy people causing damage now a day; the VT shooter was fucking crazy, too. They need to be locked up in asylums or killed before they kill us."

Reid felt like the only one who heard the jocks muttering, and his gut twisted. He wanted to punch those assholes or cry; barfing was also up on the list. He stood up quickly and grabbed his bag saying, "Ms. Greenaway, I need to go to the nurse please."

"Uh, okay Spencer…let me write you a pass—," She cut herself off from writing one, obviously noticing his urgency, "Or, why don't you just go. It's okay; if anyone asks I let you leave without one."

Spencer nodded as he bolted out of the room.

**

* * *

A/N: **Let me start by saying: I hope you enjoyed this edition to the story.

Now that, that's out of the way I must tell you that **I HATE POLITICS AND LAWS AND EVERYTHING OF THAT SORT. **It's just not my cup of tea. So, I don't think I was really qualified to write such a chapter, but I took a chance and did it anyway.

The long and short of it is that, if you feel that my writing about the different laws stated above is inaccurate in any way (other than opinion), I apologize and ask you to please help me fix it/them.

But let me point out what I already know is inaccurate: the Arizona shootings happened only a few weeks ago; this story is supposed to take place on the first day of school, which is usually in September. I guess you can say I'm changing history, but for the purpose of the story, they have happened during the summer. If_ this_ offends anyone, I apologize.

Also, I know that the idea of the dumb asshole jocks in an AP course is kind of…surprising… maybe? But I ask you to bear with me and go along with it….there always has to be bad guys, right? Even if they are out-of-place in a story.

*deep breath* Alright! That was a mouthful.

As always, thanks for reading :]

~ Kobra Kid.

**P.S. **I don't have a beta for this story, so if there are super embarrassing typos or grammar mistakes, I'm sorry and without making me feel dumb, could you point them out? Thank yeeeew, loves.


	5. Chapter 5

Bathroom stalls were not foreign to Reid. He'd been pushed into them, punched in them, eaten lunch in them, had his head shoved in toilets in them, and now he was currently puking in one.

He had chosen the last of his three choices that he went over mentally back in his Government and Law class. It was one of the things he did best when he was upset, besides bleeding, because usually when he got this worked up it was because someone back in Vegas was beating the crap out of him. Needless to say those were the two options of bodily fluids that spewed from your body in those situations.

Leaning back on his haunches, Reid pressed the lever on the toilet sending his lunch down to the sewers, and he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He knew now that he probably should go to the nurse, but if he could be honest with himself, he _hated _when people fussed over him unless it was his grandmother or mom.

Slowly he stood up and picked up his messenger bag and timidly unlocked the stall door. He looked around cautiously because even though he chose vomiting to be his main event, tears had come with it and his eyes were not drastically puffy, but they were red.

He knew that class would be over soon and that students would flock to the bathrooms before the assembly, so he had to hurry in here. He flicked the sink on and cupped a handful of water and flicked it into his mouth to gargle away the taste of his previous retching. He thought about JJ back in class probably wondering where he went. This wasn't supposed to happen on the first day of school. These breakdowns were supposed to happen later on, once he was comfortable, and could cry to his friends like all those teen movies and novels.

Reid was almost done cleaning up when the door opened and someone walked in. He cursed silently and clutched the strap of his bag and began to walk towards the door, passing the newcomer and not making eye contact.

"Spencer?"

_Shit. _He spun around to see Mr. Rossi standing there with an inquisitive look, "Hi Mr. Rossi."

"Are you alright?" Mr. Rossi asked, "Classes were dismissed before the actual bell. Everyone's in the gym now, I'm running around to collect the stray ones—like you."

Reid looked at his feet, "I uh…yeah, I'm fine." But then he recalled the comment made in his class and wanted to cry again.

"You don't look alright son, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing."

"If there's one thing I don't appreciate, it's a liar." Mr. Rossi stated, but Reid remained silent. His Calculus teacher tried again, this time with an observation, "Have you been crying?"

Spencer suddenly felt like he was five years old, standing in front of his kindergarten teacher; young and vulnerable. _You're acting foolish, _he told himself, _you're a senior in high school for Christ's sake…just grow up! _ "It's really nothing Mr. Rossi, I'm just acting like a two year old, that's all."

But David Rossi was not a dumb guy. He could tell that Reid was saying things to make himself feel better. "Spencer, don't say that about yourself. You are only fifteen, no one is judging you if you're upset. Not to put you down, but you have to realize that no one is expecting you to be as mature as your peers or emotionally stable right now. You've been through a lot recently…I told you earlier, we all know about your mom, and we want to help you when you need us."

That set him off again. The tears slid down his cheeks, following the paths of the previous ones. Mr. Rossi took a step closer to Reid and reached out his hand saying, "C'mon. Let's go see you guidance counselor—."

"_No_!" Reid protested quickly, "I mean…I don't want to talk to her."

"But Ms. Todd is a really nice woman, Spencer."

"No." He repeated himself, hugging his chest, "No, no." He wished he could be five years old again, standing in front of his kindergarten teacher, able to have a breakdown and get away with it, shorn of being called 'crazy'.

"Alright, alright, listen to me Spencer. I'm not going to make you do anything you don't want to do. How about we go to my classroom, instead of sending you to the assembly; I promise there will be no sexual harassment."

The latter part of the comment made Reid smile, but only a bit. He nodded as well, and followed his teacher out of the bathroom and around the corner.

From the gym, which was up the ramp, Reid could hear a man say, "Most of you know me as 'Hotch' but since it's considered inappropriate for students and faculty to have 'personal relationships' I need to ask you all to call me Mr. Hotchner."

Mr. Rossi shook his head with a smile and said to Reid, "The funny thing is, is that the kids probably believe Mr. Hotchner right now. He's the principal by the way, if you haven't met him." Reid made no attempts to reply and he was glad that Mr. Rossi didn't push the subject.

They went up two flights of stairs and down the "hall of math" as a brightly colored signed deemed it. Spencer hadn't seen the exuberant sign earlier, but then again there were so many kids that he hadn't been able to see anything. Finally they turned into Mr. Rossi's room and as Reid stepped in; his teacher closed the door behind him.

"Take a seat," Mr. Rossi said motioning to the most centered desk. The slender boy slid into the chair with his messenger bag still on his shoulder. The Calculus teacher opened a drawer on the other side of his desk and pulled out a bag of Reese's. He opened it and tossed it to Reid—who had no hand-eye coordination and just barley caught it without spilling one peanut-butter-cup. "They're my favorite," Mr. Rossi explained, "I keep a stash for when I stay late grading and what not. But you're a pretty cool guy, so you can have some."

"Thank you," Reid muttered taking one, unwrapping it slowly.

"So," Mr. Rossi sat on the edge of his desk, "I'm not going to press because I don't need to know the story. Do you want to tell me what happened?" Reid shook his head as he took one hesitant bite of the candy. "I respect you decision then."

Reid sat there in silence for a few minutes and he felt like squirming. Now instead of feeling like a five year old, he felt like a bug under a microscope.

"Let me tell you Spencer, I know what you're going through."

"You do?" Reid looked up.

Mr. Rossi nodded, "My older sister is a schizophrenic."

It was hard for Reid to swallow the bite of candy he'd taken, suddenly a wave of empathy flowed through him and he didn't even know his teacher's whole story. After getting the chocolate down he asked, "W-what happened…if you, uh, don't mind my asking?"

"Not at all," Mr. Rossi told him, "My parents always knew something was wrong there, but they didn't want to admit anything. She only got worse as time went by though; she _needed _help, practically begged for it. It scared her, as well as myself…and my parents, too of course. Finally they gave up on their charade and admitted her. I was ten, she was nineteen…I haven't seen her since. They wouldn't let me go see her. That's why I can empathize with you. You're here now, in McLean and your mom is back in Vegas. You can't see her."

Tears prickled behind his eyes and he shook his head, giving up on the sweets as his throat tightened up. "They wouldn't let me see her even if I lived there."

"Why don't you live there anymore, Spencer?" Mr. Rossi asked, but he was not prying. Spencer appreciated that. His father was a prier, always having to know things. That's one reason why the boy resented him.

"My grandmother couldn't take care of me alone. I think that's why she held off on admitting my mom for so long. She knew, _she knew _that my mom needed help. But she watched out for me too, and knew that if my mom was gone, it meant that I would have to go off to my dad."

"She loves you," Mr. Rossi observed, "And obviously your mother does too, if she went so long trying to take care of you when obviously she needed help."

"I guess so,"

"I know so." Mr. Rossi said, "And don't you forget it. Hang onto that, because trust me, it can get you through the toughest of times."

If this was anyone else, Reid probably would have rolled his eyes and muttered something that disproved their theory, scientifically. But he actually respected Mr. Rossi, he _believed _him. His words were not fortune-cookie tacky or pointless mumble-jumble meant to make him feel better. They were accurate and if there was one thing Reid loved, it was accuracy.

"Thank you, Mr. Rossi." Reid looked the man right in the eyes and said the four words. He wanted to show him that he was truly grateful. "That's probably the best advice I've gotten so far."

"No problem Spencer." Mr. Rossi told him, "Anytime." Then he walked behind his desk to his chair and sat down, "Toss me one?" He asked, and Reid knew he meant a Reese's. He took the bright-orange wrapped candy and lamely tossed it to him. Thankfully the teacher had pretty good athletic abilities and reached out to grab it smoothly. "Thanks," He said, "Now I could use your help."

"With?"

"Well, they do alert you when you have a prodigy joining your class. Can you help me grade some of these tests? A few kids in other classes got them done before the bell, and I'm actually using yours as an answer key…"

"I'm flattered," Spencer laughed and dropped his bag from his shoulder. He walked over to Mr. Rossi's desk and took half of the small pile that sat on the wooden surface and accepted the red pen his teacher handed him. Taking a seat, and finishing his candy, Spencer got to work.

* * *

**A/N: **Shorter chapter, I know, but I got 2 done in a day. That's good progress! This was a quickie to establish the budding relationship between Mr. Rossi/Spencer.

No, it will not be sexual or have any feelings other than mutual respect tied into it.

Also, not that I know much about Rossi's background story, I am one hundred percent sure that he does not have a schizophrenic sister, or a back story similar to the one I wrote for him.

But hey, as my friend Rayne McKenna would say: **IT'S FICTION! **

kobra kid :]**  
**


	6. Chapter 6

"Spencer, _Spence!_"

Reid turned around in the crowded hall and just barely saw JJ, Emily and Garcia running towards him. He stepped to the side so he wouldn't block the hallway traffic and waited for them.

"Where did you _go_?" JJ asked clearly worried. Emily and Garcia's expressions weren't any better. "You ran out of class like a bat out of hell and you didn't come back."

"And then we couldn't find you at the assembly." Emily added, "We were all worried."

"I'm sorry," Reid said, "I just got overwhelmed by all the stupidity in the classroom." He gave JJ a look that meant only she would understand exactly what he meant.

JJ gave him a long, steady look as if trying to break him, trying to get him to be more specific. But Reid wasn't going to give in today. It's not that he didn't trust JJ or the other girls; he just needed his privacy for a bit longer. He matched her gaze until she gave up with a nod, "Alright, alright…"

"What are you doing now my young one?" Garcia asked him.

"I have to get home," Reid told her, "My father's rule for the first week."

"No! Poo!" She exclaimed.

"What?" Reid asked.

"It's the first meeting of the GSA today!" Emily told him, "Thanks to yours truly," She motioned to the two other girls, "We're the only club ready to start right away."

"We didn't have a Gay Straight Alliance back in Vegas, at least not one that I knew about."

"Oh my God Reid, you haven't lived 'til you've hung out with the GSA!" Garcia practically bounced up and down.

"We're kind of the coolest people." JJ shrugged like it was no big deal.

"If I didn't have to go, I would stay." Reid said, actually upset that he couldn't stay and continue spending time with these new friends. No one had noticed that the hallways had cleared quite a bit as they chatted, and two new members joined their group.

"Hey, kid!" A big hand landed on his shoulder and Reid thought he was going to pass out from excitement or nerves or a combination of both. Slowly he turned his body to see Derek standing behind him.

"Hi," He said lamely.

"We missed you at the assembly," Derek said but Reid caught the underlying 'I had no idea where you were and was kind of concerned' in his tone. Derek Morgan was not very subtle, and Spencer wondered if anyone had ever told him that.

"Yeah I was with the nurse," Reid lied.

"Not feeling good?" Derek asked with the concern still evident.

"Well I'm feeling better now," The younger boy offered a smile.

"Hey Reid, will you be accompanying these lovely ladies, Derek and I to the GSA today?" Will asked in his thick, southern accent and Reid had the urge to ask him where he was from, because it was too heavy to be a Virginian accent.

"Not today," Reid shook his head, "I have to get home."

"Aw that sucks," Derek was clearly upset, "Do you need a ride?"

"Nah, I rode my bike." Reid jabbed his thumb in the direction of the front door, "I'll be fine."

"I can put it in the back of my truck," Derek pointed out, "If you want."

Reid bit his lip and flicked his eyes over to Emily (only for a split second) who wore an expression that screamed _SAY YES! _He tugged nervously at the collar of his shirt and said, "Um, don't you have practice later? And er, GSA right now?"

"They won't kick me out of the club just for helping a friend out," Derek laughed and then put on a mock serious expression, "Will you girls?" He asked the three.

"Hmm, not this time." Emily laughed.

"See! And, I don't have practice until three-thirty. I'll be fine time wise, so don't stress. It's only a ride home."

"Okay."

"Huh?"

"Okay," Reid shrugged, "I'd appreciate a ride, my road kinda sucky anyway."

"Are you on the side of Kirby that's more residential?"

"The part that's that way?" Reid pointed to his right and Derek nodded, "Yeah."

"Yeah it's a crappy road. I used to have to ride my bike before I could drive."

"You know what," Garcia said loudly, grabbing the attention of everyone in their small social group. "We have to get going to the club, we'll see you two tomorrow."

"Yeah, bye guys!" Emily smiled and waved, giving Reid a wink as Derek gave Will the typical bro high-five thing.

The four of them departed and walked away from the two standing in the lobby. Derek motioned towards the door and they set off for the parking lot as they continued their conversation. "So, I live on Kirby, too."

"Really?" Reid asked, and he wasn't surprised. Kirby Road was one of the longest ones in the town.

"Yep, house fourteen-forty one. ."

"You're kidding me!"

"Not at all…"

"My dad's house is thirteen-seventy six…"

"Holy crap, we're neighbors!"

"Well, almost." Reid pointed out.

"Okay, yeah 'cause you're only three minutes down the road." Derek rolled his eyes in a playful way. Reid grinned.

"So this is actually pretty insane." Reid commented again and Derek smiled at him/

"I guess you don't have to ride your bike to school anymore."

They stopped by the bike rack so Reid could acquire the said bike, and then continued on to Derek's truck. It was a nice pick-up; black with shiny silver hubcaps and several bumper stickers including a McLean High Football one. Reid stood behind the truck, looking at the bed, and feeling how heavy the bike was just by holding onto it. He blushed a bit as he looked to Derek and asked, "Could you…uh…"

"Put it in the bed for you? Of course I can," Derek grinned and stepped over to him, taking the bike and purposely letting his fingers brush over Reid's. The smaller boy thought he was going to die of a heart attack.

He couldn't help but make a comment to ease his tension. "Why thank you Derek, my strong, strong man. I don't think I could have done that without you."

"No problem Pretty Boy," Derek winked and then pulled out his keys, "C'mon, let's get you home."

Getting into the truck Reid felt himself begin to sweat and his stomach fluttering like several cocoons had just hatched in there, and he cursed his pubescent body vehemently. Derek didn't seem to notice as he slid his key into the ignition and brought the truck roaring to life. Horrible country music came blaring through the speakers, and Reid couldn't help but let out a laugh.

"What's so funny?" Derek asked.

"You," Reid replied simply.

"Oh and how so?" The older man wasn't challenging him, he was simply curious.

"Well, you have the pick-up truck decked out with the football bumper stickers and you're on the jockish side, and you're blasting country—which I hate by the way—and it's just so stereotypical."

"Only a bit," Derek agreed, and he switched the stations until Reid heard the familiar sound of one of his favorite songs.

"Oooh keep it here!" He cried, reaching out on an impulse and turning up _Daylight _by Matt and Kim. Suddenly he was embarrassed, realizing what he had done, "Ooh wait, I uh—." But he stopped himself when Derek's warm hand rested over his.

"It's alright," He said calmly, with a hint of a smile in his voice, "I like this song." Reid didn't move his hand, and Derek made no attempt to move his. He didn't glance over to see, but Spencer could feel the older man's eyes on him. He was frozen in his seat, wishing that this moment could last forever.

Finally one of Reid's fingers twitched and Derek took that as a cute to let his hand drop to the automatic shifter. The younger had the urge to let his hand slip down there too, and touch the soft, mocha skin that had just been holding onto him, but he decided against it, returning his hand to his lap. There was a silence in the car as the closing chords of the song faded out and then Derek commented,

"You like the indie stuff then, huh?"

"Yeah," Reid nodded, "It's better than Top 40 crap and scream-o—oh, and _country_." He teased easily and out of the corner of his eye saw Derek's smile.

"Alright you can stop ragging on me for listening to country thank you very much." He said, "I made a mistake and I apologize sincerely and I will never listen to country in this car as long as you're in it, ever again."

"Thank you,"

The silence in the car was now comfortable and the feel of joking could be felt. It was light and airy and Reid relaxed against the leather seats, feeling the least self-conscious he ever had. Metric came on after Matt and Kim and it was now Derek's turn to have a moment.

"Holy crap, I love Metric so much!"

"They're really good,"

"Her voice is just so amazing," Reid looked over with one raised eyebrow, and Derek glanced over at him, "What? I appreciate music; I don't just listen to it."

"We could get along really well."

"We aren't already?"

"We could get along better than we already are," Reid rephrased his sentence, "Better?"

"Much." Derek flicked his blinker on and Reid realized that they were at his house. "Home sweet home," He smiled at his younger friend.

"Thanks again." Spencer said unbuckling and getting out. Derek got out as well to retrieve his bike out of the back. "I mean this was really nice considering you don't really know me."

"Well I'd like to get to know you better if that's okay with you, and if it means giving you rides, then the pleasure is mine."

"I would like to get to know you better as well,"

"Good, we're on the same page." Derek reached into the back and grabbed the metal frame of Reid's bike, hauling it out. Reid wouldn't admit it but he did stare at Derek's well-toned biceps just to see them flex as he did this.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow then?"

"I'll pick you up around six thirty."

"So early?" Reid complained.

"That's white time the bus usually comes, don't whine."

Reid stuck his tongue out, "I can whine. I'm a child."

"You're not five," Derek laughed, "If you're good I'll get you a cup of Starbucks," He bribed.

"Done deal,"

"Great. See ya,"

"Bye."

Reid watched Derek get in his truck and drive down his long driveway. He waved as the older man honked before turning onto the main road.

**

* * *

A/N: **Ah, the beginning of a beautiful relationship :]

I hope no one reading this thinks that I'm pushing their relationship, or like, feels like it's going too fast.

If you do, then, I'm sorry that's the way I'm writing it, but I can assure you it won't be a BOOM! They're together…THE END! type of thing. There is ALWAYS relationship drama and even family drama and I have a trick hidden up my sleeve for later.

But yeah, I got this one done and now I have to run off to hell—I mean classes.

Kobra Kid


	7. Chapter 7

Spencer entered his father's house through the office entrance because it was the closest of the three. No one was working in the back part of the office, but he could hear the quick _tap, tap, tap _of fingers on a keyboard and he knew that his father was working in the smaller area.

"Hi,"

William Reid looked up from his MacBook and his son could tell the smile he put on was strained. Reid figured it was either stress or the fact that the child he'd left was now throwing his life off by moving in with him. It was a good thing that Reid wasn't particularly thrilled with the situation himself. They shared a mutual discomfort.

"Hi son, how was the first day?" Mr. Reid asked.

"Good." Spencer replied.

"Did you make any friends?"

"Yes."

"And how are the classes working out?"

"They're great."

"Good,"

That was the extent of their words. Reid continued on his way through the office, opening the trickily folding door and Mr. Reid went back to typing away. Spencer let the door clumsily fold itself back as he half-heartedly pushed it close. It didn't get all the way shut but he didn't care; if his dad was really bothered by it, he could get up and close it himself.

Maria, his father's house keeper (whom, as Spencer learned, had been working for Mr. Reid since he moved into the place ten years ago) was in the kitchen cooking something that smelt delicious and she looked up giving him a huge smile as he walked across the brown carpet to the open alcove in the living room that peered into kitchen.

"Hi honey," Maria greeted him in her thick Bolivian accent.

"Hi Maria," Spencer smiled, "What're you making today?"

"Your father asks for my special hamburgers tonight. You like one too?"

"Sure," Reid smiled. Maria always made the best food for him and his father.

"How was your first day of school?"

"It was actually pretty fun." He admitted, "I was surprised!"

"That is good; you get what you don't expect." Maria smiled at him and then held up a finger saying, "Ah! One moment, I have something for you."

She scurried off to the back of the kitchen and came back with an individual sized cake. On it, it said '_Have a Happy Day!_' with a smiling yellow sun.

Reid thanked her, and said, "But Maria, you didn't have to do this for me!"

"I figure you like sugar and deserve something special for being brave. If it were me, no way I go to new school like McLean; too intimidating…plus you too skinny! You need a little meet on your bones."

"Well, thanks again." He leaned against the surface and reached over into the kitchen to grab the cake from where Maria had set it down on the counter. "Can I have a fork please? I think I'll eat some while I do my homework."

"Of course," Maria pulled one out of the silverware drawer and handed it to him.

"Thank you Maria," Reid smiled and he walked around into the kitchen to give her a kiss on the cheek before he continued into the next room and then went up the stairs to go to his room.

It was the nicest thing his dad had done for him so far; fixing up the crappy room on the third floor. It had gone from a cramped bedroom the size of a closet with a bathroom no bigger than their pantry to a wide open room with windows lining the far wall, overlooking the property and a now huge bathroom complete with a bath, tub and double sink (it was all marble and cherry wood too—the priciest stuff around). In the back of his mind, Reid considered that his father had turned it into a suite to make sure that he would spend most of his time up there, instead of in the main rooms of the house.

Whatever the motive, Reid really didn't really care. It was a kind gesture and the room was absolutely magnificent. The next step to it was choosing a color to paint it because the walls were still a dull grey that even his father couldn't stand to look at. For now though, Spencer had no opinion.

He dropped his messenger bag on the floor and set the cake down on his desk before he walked over to his bed where he flopped down, face first, and closed his eyes. He was surprisingly tired now that he was alone and able to really think for a minute. He decided that getting the little homework he had, done would be too easy and that he could spare an hour or so for a nap. His body definitely agreed with him.

He grabbed his iPod from the side table and flicked it off hold, finding Deerhunter in his list of artist and setting it to shuffle through the songs he had. He stuck his headphones into his ears and kicked off his shoes before curling up into a ball on top of his quilt.

The sun shone through his windows, splaying warmth throughout his body and the mellow sound of his music filled his ears. He took a deep, relaxing breath. Spencer lived for moments like this: calming and simple, easy to obtain and giving you a break from the stress in the world. Slowly his eyelids closed and his breathing steadied and soon he was asleep.

When he woke up, it was to the feeling of a timid hand giving him a soft shake. He sat up, taking his headphones out, and blinking a few times to focus his blurry vision. Maria was standing there with a kind smile, "You were sleepy," She laughed, "I shake you for five minutes, I swear!"

"Sorry," Reid said, his voice husky from sleep, "I didn't realize how tired I was until I got home."

"It happens to kids," Maria said, "But it happens to old people like me more."

"Well, teens need about nine and a forth hours of sleep each night to function best. Most teens don't get enough sleep though. One study found that only fifteen percent reported sleeping eight and a half hours on school nights."

Maria simply laughed and ruffled his hair. She had gotten used to his spewing of random facts. "Good for you honey," She said, "Now you come for dinner or no?"

"I'll be down in a second," Reid told her.

"By the way, a boy come to talk to you about thirty minutes ago." She looked at the clock, "Around six."

The boy looked at his clock as well: it was six-thirty. He had slept for a little over three hours and he knew it would be hard getting to bed on time for him tonight. "Um, what was his name?"

"Derek?" Maria said, "He leave a paper for you. I put it on the fridge."

"Alright, thanks Maria."

"I see you tomorrow, okay honey?" She gave him a hug, "Have a good night."

"You too," Spencer said returning the hug and watched as she left his room. He hated that Maria always left right after she finished making and serving dinner. With her gone that left only him and his father in the house, unless William Reid had a business partner or friend over for dinner in which case the boy was not allowed to even go downstairs for dinner. Not that his dad had said that to him or anything; it was just an unspoken rule that they both understood and agreed upon.

Sighing he stood up and stretched before heading downstairs to the living room where, conveniently, the table the two usually ate at was. A plate was already there for Spencer and he slid into the chair quietly, picking up his hamburger and taking a bite.

"Maria left something for you on the fridge," Mr. Reid commented, not looking up from the packet of paper he had in his hand.

"Alright, thanks for telling me." His son replied, not wanting to say that Maria had already told him. He figured things would be easier if he just went along with everything his dad said, saying the things the older man wanted to hear.

"Mmph," Was the acknowledgement he got from his dad, which he assumed was a 'no problem' grunt. Spencer didn't really take it to heart and finished his dinner in the never-comfortable silence that always existed between him and his father.

Per usual, he ate quickly to avoid being stuck at the table for too long. Once he finished he brought his plate to the kitchen and stuck it in the sink before going to the refrigerator and pulling off the single piece of paper, stuck on the shiny surface with a Canadian flag magnet. He noticed that every magnet on the fridge was from a different state or country and realized that his father must travel a lot for his job.

He opened the note that Maria had neatly folded and labeled _Spencer_ and began to read it as he returned back upstairs.

_Hey kid, I stopped by your house to talk for a few minutes, but I guess you were sleeping. My cell is 703-635-1197. Give me a call when you wake up. –Derek_

The messy, barely legible scrawl made Spencer grin and he folded the note up again, stuffing it into his pocket. When he got back to his room he sat down at his desk and took the paper out again. He looked at the number and then at the phone to his left. He debated whether he should call now, or wait a bit longer. Taking a deep breath he picked up the receiver and dialed the ten digits.

**A/N: **Oooh nervous Reid calling Mr. Sexy Morgan...teehee. He's just so cute.

I hope you've been enjoying this so far. Your reviews told me you have :]

~Kobra Kid

OH. WAIT. ALSO. the cell number I put in-NOT REAL AS FAR AS I KNOW! I just have this fear of writing something in (like a cell number) and having someone call it to see if it's real. I know my lovely readers won't...but...just in case this is a plea to ask you not to do that. thank yooou :]


	8. Chapter 8

"Hello?"

Derek sounded sexy even over the phone. "H-hi, Derek?" Reid squeaked.

"Spencer?"

"Yeah, I uh, got your cell number from that note you left."

"Yeah, hey!" He exclaimed, "You feeling better after your beauty rest?"

"Much." Spencer replied.

"Good, good. Hopefully it worked."

"What?" Reid asked, slightly confused.

"Your beauty rest; I hope it worked. But, I guess I can judge that tomorrow when I pick you up, right?"

Spencer let out a nervous giggle, "You can…" He had never been spoken to like that by anyone, especially not someone he was attracted to.

"I plan to."

"So!" Reid said quickly before his face heated up more. He could tell he was already bright, bright red.

"So?"

"So…uh, you stopped by this afternoon?"

"Yeah, yeah I did. I wanted to ask you something."

"What's that?"

"Well, every year on the Friday of the first week of school, the gang goes out for dinner. To celebrate a new school year and all that jazz. We were wondering if you wanted to come with us."

"I'd love to!" The younger man exclaimed quickly.

"Great. I know it's only Monday but…we've been planning this for a while, so I thought I'd let you know about it tonight so no one sprung it on you too late—."

"Or, you wanted an excuse to talk to me."

Reid instantly wanted to die. He hadn't meant to say that out loud. But the way Derek had stopped by after practice and then left him a note to call him when he wasn't awake didn't seem like he simply wanted to ask a question.

"You're right,"

"Excuse me?"

"I said, you're right."

"You…I…huh?"

"I just wanted an excuse to talk to you." Derek admitted, "You're a pretty interesting guy."

"Well…you're pretty interesting yourself."

There was silence on the other line for a few moments and then Derek asked, "You know what? I'm sitting at my desk trying to work on the Calc homework. Do you think you could help me?"

"Um yeah sure…what are you—?"

"I'll come pick you up? You can come to my place?" Derek asked.

"Um, I'll check with my dad." Spencer said, "Can you uh…hold on?"

"Yeah sure,"

Spencer put the phone receiver down on his desk and left his room, going down the flight of stairs to the spacious room that was set up "as a teen hangout" as his father had put it, when he gave Spencer a quick tour of the house. From there he went down the two stairs that took him to the hallway and then down the small staircase that would lead him to the front door.

His dad was in the kitchen, he could hear him looking through the freezer for something. Spencer ambled down the short hall and turned into the marble-floored kitchen where William Reid was in fact coming out of a crouching position with a carton of chocolate ice cream in his hands.

"Spencer!"

"Dad."

"You scared me. You have to let people know when you're around."

"Sorry," Spencer said, though he wasn't. "Can I go help a friend with homework?"

His father's face looked shocked at the word 'friend', and Reid figured he probably had forgotten their short conversation when he came home from school. "Um, tonight? It's a school night you know." But his tone wasn't very convincing. If any other kid heard their parents say those words like Mr. Reid had, they would laugh in their faces.

"We could stay here if that makes you feel better."

"No, no that's alright." Mr. Reid turned around to grab a bowl and spoon for his ice cream.

"Thought so,"

"Hmm?"

"I said, 'alright'."

"Okay, well, err, let me know before you go? You don't have a phone yet—we'll get you one this weekend—um?"

"I can call you from Derek's phone before I leave if you want."

"Or, text me. It's easier. Yeah, yeah text me. You know my number right?"

"I do dad," Spencer drawled.

"Alright,"

Reid left the kitchen and hastily made his way back up the three sets of stairs; when he got back to his room he picked up the receiver and said, "Derek?"

"Whoa, Reid you don't have to shout and you sound like you ran a marathon or something."

"Sorry," He realized that he had indeed shouted and that he was winded from running up the stairs. He was honestly not the athletic type and got winded just by walking down his driveway.

"Don't apologize, it's alright." Derek said then asked, "So?"

"I can help you."

"Sweet, I can get you in two minutes."

"Okie dokie,"

Derek began to laugh on the other line and Spencer turned red. "You're cute, Spencer Reid, did you know that?"

"No?" Reid asked bashfully.

"Well now you do." Derek said, "I'll see you in a few."

"Bye."

Spencer hung up the receiver quickly and leaned back in his chair. His heart was beating faster than it had when he first met Derek. Was this really happening? Or was it all a dream? Would he wake up to the feeling of Maria shaking him, informing him it was dinner time?

He sure hoped not.

After a few moments of staying in the chair, Reid got up and grabbed his messenger bag, which he hadn't touched since he got home from school, and found the Chuck Taylors he'd kicked off before he took his nap. He untied them hastily, and shoved them on his feet, retying the messy double-knots and fixing the tongues so they weren't bunched up close to the laces. Standing up, he slung the bag over one shoulder and then flicked off his lights before leaving his room.

When he reached the kitchen he could hear two voices. His dad's and

"Derek?"

"Hey," Derek looked over at Reid from where he stood by Mr. Reid's office, chatting to the other man.

"You're here already…I didn't hear you drive up."

"Spence," William Reid began in a pleasant tone that in the month Spencer had been living with him, he hadn't heard once. And the youngest boy couldn't help himself but snap:

"Don't call me that."

Both Derek and his father gave him a look—Derek's concerned, Mr. Reid's shocked—but the oldest of the three simply nodded and continued, "You didn't tell me that Derek here plays football!"

Spencer knew that his father had played a bit of collegiate football before he got seriously injured, and that to this day he loved football more than any sport on TV. He suspected that this was the reason he was being so kind to his son right now: this boy standing in his living room, claiming to be his son's friend, played the sport he once was amazing at.

Reid hated that the cheeriness his father was addressing him with now was all thanks to Derek and he said, "You never asked."

"Well, you know it's getting late and I don't want to keep you out too long Spencer, so why don't we get going?" Derek intervened and Reid could have kissed him for doing so.

"Alright," He nodded.

"It was nice meeting you Derek," William Reid shook Derek's hand and said, "See you when you get home Spencer."

"Bye." Spencer nodded curtly and then followed Derek out the sliding glass door. He closed it behind them and then followed the bigger man silently to his truck. They got in silently, and Reid looked out the window as Derek drove back to his house, which was only two or so minutes up the road.

Once the ignition was shut off, Reid opened his door and unbuckled his belt but Derek grabbed his arm before he could get out. "Hey, kid."

"Hmm?"

"I didn't mean to cause anything between you and your dad. Don't be mad at me, hey?"

"I'm not mad at you," Reid drawled and then said, "Can I get out?"

"Yeah, uh, yeah, sorry." Derek let his arm drop and Reid hopped out onto the pebbles that were Derek's driveway. "Um, alright this way." Derek led the smaller boy down his driveway and then down a set of rock stairs that brought them to a pathway made of the same rocks as the stairs. There was a nice Koi pond in the front surrounded by a glorious garden, and Reid had the urge to run over to the white bench under a cherry tree and pull out a book and read.

"It's nice isn't it?"

Reid shook himself out of his imagination and realized he had stopped. He looked over at Derek who was smiling, and he matched the grin, "It's beautiful."

"If the sun wasn't setting I would say we should do some work out here, but it would get dark before we could finish the first page of the Calc work!"

"Maybe another time then?"

"Definitely another time." Derek nodded then gestured to the front door, "C'mon let's get inside. I told my mom I was having a friend over to help me with math and now she's dying to meet you. She loves anyone that helps me stay on track and get good marks."

"She'll adore me then," Spencer laughed, and again hated himself for talking. What was with his word vomit today?

"Oh trust me; I knew that from the moment I thought to have you over." Derek grinned and began walking. Reid followed him to the front door and then stepped in behind him when Derek opened the wooden thing.

"Hey ma, I'm home." Derek called and stepped even further into the house. Reid closed the door behind him and timidly tailed the older boy down through the kitchen and dining room area, down a hall and into an open space which was undoubtedly the nicest family room Reid had ever seen.

"Hi Derek," A woman said from where she sat on the couch with a man. "Is this Spencer?"

"Yes ma'am." Spencer stepped forward a bit and gave a shy wave.

"Welcome!" She stood up as well as the man, and they approached him. "I'm Fran and this is my husband Drew."

"Nice to meet you Mrs. and Mr. Morgan."

"Please son, call me Drew." Derek's father said outstretching his hand, "When I hear 'Mr. Morgan' I turn around and expect to see my father!"

Reid laughed a bit and shook the man's large hand, "Alright, Drew."

"And you can call me Fran—I won't reply to anything else!" She moved in and gave him a hug, "Any friend of Derek's is part of the family," She noted, "Make yourself at home! Have you eaten?"

"Yes ma'am," Spencer nodded.

"Oh shush, you don't need to call me ma'am!" She swatted at him, "Derek why don't you introduce Spencer to your sisters before you two sit down for work?"

"Alright ma," Derek nodded and gave his mother a kiss on the cheek before looking over at Spencer, "Let's go upstairs."

The second floor of the house was almost a beautiful at the first. The architecture was beautiful and the rooms were beautifully decorated. The two had stopped into Derek's sisters' rooms quickly and Spencer got to meet Sarah and Desirée who seemed nice.

Finally they went into Derek's room which looked so much different than the rest of the house. There was a giant bean bag in one corner of the room, which Spencer wanted to go flop down into so badly. Aside from that there was a desk against one wall in front of a window that overlooked the front garden and his bed was simply a mattress on the floor with bedding hanging off in every which direction. Clothing covered the floor as well, as it was spilling from the dresser next to the closet (which was no better). The walls were a nice darker blue which made the room seem smaller than it was, but cozy.

There were two posters on the walls, but they caught Reid's attention almost immediately. One was of a professional lacrosse player, but not just any player. The poster was of Andrew Goldstein, the first openly gay male athlete during his playing career. The second was an enlarged copy of Attitude magazine's June cover, featuring Kele Okereke of Bloc Party—one of Reid's favorite bands.

The posters spoke measures to Reid. Derek was gay, there was no doubt. Butterflies began to flutter in his stomach, and he turned to look at Derek who was leaning in the doorway with a smirk on his face. "Something interest you?" He asked.

"I…it's just…it's nothing."

"You can tell me what's on your mind," Derek took a step closer to the boy and closed the door.

"I was just intrigued with your posters. Did you know that Andrew Goldstein is pursuing a PhD in biology now that his lacrosse career is over?"

"That's interesting," Derek laughed, taking yet another step closer to Reid.

"Yeah," he swallowed, his body and voice shaking, "And uh, Kele…Kele Okereke, well he's just one of my favorite artists of all time—."

He was cut off by the smell of Derek: his body wash and shampoo mixed with the faint smell of afternoon sun and football practice. Not the stinky football practice smell though, the grass-stain and Gatorade smell. The taller boy was standing right in front of him and he reached out to run a hand through Reid's messy hair.

"You're so cute when you babble," He muttered.

"Did you want help with Calculus?" Reid asked quickly trying to turn around, but Derek grabbed his arm and spun him around.

"Not right now,"

"I just…maybe we should…"

"I like you, Spence." Derek said.

"This is like one of those nineteen-fifties movies. You know, like _Rebel Without A Cause_ when James Dean and Natalie Wood are talking after her boyfriend dies and she's all like 'I think I'm in love with you Jim!' but it's only been a day since they met."

"I believe in love at first sight." Derek aimlessly played with a strand of the brown hair around the back of Reid's neck.

"I just don't see how it can actually happen. You don't know enough about the person to really _love _them. Maybe a mild attraction can occur in such a short time but love? I don't think so."

"So I'm not in love with you, yet." Derek said, "There is that mild attraction you were talking about. And don't say you don't feel it."

"I do?" Spencer stammered, looking up at Derek with wide eyes as he rubbed the back of Reid's neck with soft finger tips.

"Well, good." He smiled, "That's all I wanted to hear. That you like me."

"I like you a lot," Spencer blurted out.

Derek chuckled and said, "The feeling's mutual, pretty boy."

Spencer blushed furiously at the nickname and he lowered his head so his gaze was on the floor. "I suppose you could properly woo me,"

"Woo?" Derek asked, "Who says that anymore?"

"I do," Spencer said giving him an unconvincing serious glare which failed as he began to giggle.

"You're adorable," Derek laughed, "But I would be honored to properly woo you. How about, we go on a date, before I ask you to be my boyfriend?"

"It's gonna take more than one, Mr. Morgan." Spencer wagged a finger at him, "And Friday does not count."

"Aw shucks, I have to spend alone time with you before we can date?"

"I know that's a hardship," Spencer patted his well-toned back which earned two strong arms wrapping around his thin waist.

"Can I at least kiss you before then?"

"I don't know…"

"Just once?"

"Hmmm," Spencer wrapped his arms around Derek's neck, "I'm not sure."

"Please, please, please." Derek begged jokingly.

"Alright, alright I guess you can have just one kiss." Spencer had kissed someone before. Jennie Parker in the seventh grade. It had been quick and sloppy and a dare, on Jennie's part. He was hoping this one would be better.

"Sweet," Derek grinned and leaned in, pressing his lips against Spencer's chastely, and boy.

It was way better than Jennie Parker.

* * *

**A/N: **Hi all!

Sorry this one took a long, long time to post. I've been super, super busy. But! Hopefully the end of this chapter makes up for any antsy-ness you guys were feeling as you waited for the newest edition ;) WINK!

So yeah, I hope you enjoy this chapter and...again...it was typed up fairly quickly so if there are extremely evident grammar and spelling mistakes, please inform me.

Love always,

NorthernxDownpour (formerly Kobra Kid)


	9. Chapter 9

"So then you do the adjacent over the hypotenuse—are you listening to me Derek?"

Reid looked over at the older boy who was twirling a piece of his hair around his pencil. "No," Derek admitted.

"Well if you want my help then I need you to pay attention!"

"I know what to do, Spencer."

"You…huh?"

"The co-sin of theta is adjacent over hypotenuse…which is RQ over PR…or in other words twelve over the square root of five hundred forty-four. Which…is…" Derek punched in the numbers on his calculator. "Point five-one-four."

"That's…correct." Reid scratched his head and looked at Derek's work. "But you…"

"Can I tell you a secret?"

"Um, sure?"

"I know all of this material."

"You what?"

"This is all stuff that I know, and I'm pretty good at."

"So you tricked me?"

"We can call it something nicer if you'd like," Derek smiled, "And it wasn't a mean trick…I was just too shy to ask you to hang out. I figured if I said I needed math help, you would totally be up for it."

"My, my, my! Derek Morgan too shy to ask little old me to hang out?" Spencer did his best impression of Will's Southern Belle parody.

"Can you blame me? You're intimidating!"

Spencer burst into laughter, so hard that he fell off of the chair he was sitting on. "Ow," He gasped through his amusement. "Okay wait... so _I'm_ intimidating?"

"Well yeah. I mean. You're super smart and I was afraid that you were going to be one of those bitchy nerdy kids who thinks they're better than everyone."

This only made Reid laugh harder, and he clutched his sides as he gasped for air.

"Stop laughing at me,"

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry I can't help it!"

"I'll make you stop!" Derek threatened, and when Spencer only laughed harder he said, "Alright, that's it!"

"No, no I'm sorry, I'll stop!" Reid sputtered through chuckles, and he shrieked, "No!" when Derek dropped to his knees next to him and reached out to tickle him. The two boys turned into sputtering, kicking messes on the floor, Derek attacking Reid, and the younger boy trying to ward off the hands that tickled him. After a few minutes the fight became too much for both of them and they sat back, overwhelmed by the event that just happened.

Panting, Derek smiled down at Spencer and the boy's heart fluttered worse than it had earlier...if that was even possible. They stared at each other for what seemed like eternity, Spencer's eyes not breaking from Derek's long, strong gaze.

The kiss was spontaneous, but it felt so right to both of them. Derek leaned down just as Spencer arched up and their lips met, teeth clashing and tongues exploring. They less experienced boy had no idea what to do, but Derek put his hand on his cheek softly, reassuringly, and went slowly so Spencer could catch on.

After a few moments of awkward colliding, the two found a steady rhythm and wiggled their way from the floor to the giant bean bag. Derek was running his hands through Reid's soft brown hair while the other boy awkwardly rested on Derek's well-toned back.

Finally Spencer turned his head to the side, so Derek's lips mashed against his cheek. The older boy sat up a bit and looked down at him, "Something wrong?"

"I think we should just..."

"Wait?" Derek asked, "That's cool." To Spencer's surprise, he did not seem upset or disappointed.

"Really?"

"Of course, really," Derek nodded, "I care about you Reid, and I care about how you feel. And if you're not comfortable with this right now, then we can wait. Hell, we're not even dating yet thanks to your more-than-one-date policy."

"Yeah, I'm just a buzz kill, aren't I?"

"A really adorable buzz kill," Derek laughed as he backed off allowing the small boy to sit up. "It's getting late; I should probably get you home."

"That would be appreciated."

The two stood up and smoothed out their clothes and Reid ran his fingers through his hair, to hide what they had previously been up to. Derek went over to his desk and put all of Reid's things into his messenger bag before handing it to him, "There you go."

"Why thank you, you're such a gentleman!" Reid grinned and accepted the bag, putting it over his shoulder.

"I do try to impress the people I want to woo..."

"You're going to hold that word against me, aren't you?"

"Yes, yes I am."

"Aww thanks hun," Spencer laughed and tweaked Derek's nose before walking to his door, "Are you ready to take me home?"

"Lemme grab my keys and phone." Derek picked up the said items from his bed, "Alright, now I am." He handed his cell to Reid, "Didn't your dad want you to text him?"

"He's probably asleep, and even if he's not he probably wouldn't even get the message. It's cool,"

"Oh, alright..." Derek stuck it in the pocket of his jeans. "Well, let's be off!"

They left the bedroom and went down the stairs, stopping by the den to let Fran and Drew know they were leaving.

"It was so nice meeting you Spencer," Fran grinned at him, "Come by any time! You're always welcome here,"

"Thank you," Spencer matched her smile.

"Drive safely," Drew warned Derek, "It's not very far to Spencer's house but the road isn't the best, you know that."

"Yes father," Derek nodded, "I'll be back in a few."

Exiting the den, they went through the kitchen and out the door, past the dark garden which was illuminated by small lights all around the plants, and to Derek's truck. He unlocked it and climbed in, Spencer mimicking the actions on the passenger's side. They buckled their seatbelts in unison, and Spencer glanced over at Derek only to see that he was looking right back at him, small smiles on both of their lips.

The ride back to Reid's house was short and silent and the noisy truck pulled into the gravel driveway and up to the house. Derek cut the engine and turned to look at Spencer. The younger boy had his hand on the door handle, but let go and settled back into the seat.

"You don't want to leave yet, do you?" Derek asked.

"No,"

"Didn't think so," He smirked.

Spencer gave him a small smile, "It's just so much fun being around you,"

"What can I say?" Derek shrugged, "I'm that kind of guy."

Spencer smiled at him but not with the same joy behind his eyes as there had been before.

"Something wrong?" Derek asked.

"It's nothing,"

"No, Spencer, you can tell me what's on your mind."

"I just...I don't know I guess this just doesn't feel like home really."

"Want to talk about it?" Derek sat up straighter and looked over at Spencer with concerned eyes.

"That's nice of you," Spencer muttered, "But, I'm fine."

"You don't sound 'fine',"

"I don't feel like talking about it right now, is that alright?" Spencer felt himself getting tense and like a cat that you rub the wrong way, he felt like he could snap at Derek at any second. It was a reaction he just couldn't help.

"Yeah, yeah Reid, that's cool." Derek held up his hands to show that he was backing off.

"Sorry," Spencer said quickly and opened the car door, getting out and rushing to the front door, pulling out his key. Behind him he could hear Derek starting his truck and pulling around in his driveway. As he fumbled with the key in the lock he heard the older boy call,

"Hey, I'll see you tomorrow, okay kid? Get some sleep," Then Derek kept going down the gravel drive. Spencer stood there and watched as he got to the end and then pulled out into the street.

Guilt washed over him, and he felt like an idiot and a jerk for getting defensive like he had, but he couldn't stop himself when he got like that. Somewhere deep down he knew that Derek understood though and he wasn't going to hold anything that happened in the car against him in the weeks to come. Sighing, Reid unlocked the door and stepped inside quietly, closing the door behind him and locking it. The whole first floor was dark which meant Mr. Reid was asleep.

Noiselessly Spencer tiptoed up the staircase in front of him to the large room where the staircase leading him to his room was. He took those stairs slowly, stopping in the bathroom to brush his teeth wash his face before bed, then went into his room where he dropped his messenger bag and stripped down to his boxers, leaving his shed clothes in a trail to his bed.

Crawling into bed, Reid didn't feel tired at all and figured it would be another night where he stayed up until the early hours thinking about random things or reading a book. Crossing his arms under his head he looked out of the windows along the wall, and watched as the occasional headlights shone from a car speeding down Kirby Road or a splash occurred in the pond on the other side of the driveway as a frog or snake plunged into the dark depths. Before he knew it, his eyelids began to droop and he was nodding off into sleep.

_Reid was almost certain that when his mind began to focus again, he was dreaming. He knew he had to be dreaming because there was no way he was really standing in the middle of the McLean High football field, in his boxers. No one was around and the sky was dark although the bright lights surrounding the field were lit up and more blinding than usual. Shielding his eyes from the glow with his arm, he looked around to see if anyone else was with him at the moment. The bleachers, the parking lot, the tennis courts, and the rest of the field were empty however and Reid felt like one of those bimbo chicks in a horror movie: he knew something was out there but had no idea when it was going to strike. _

_Suddenly there was laughter. It wasn't just one person laughing, it was a whole group of people, but Reid couldn't see them. The area around him was still empty. Embarrassed that people were laughing at him, he tried to wrap his arms around himself but he couldn't move. His body was stiff, and there was a freezing sensation in it that made him shiver. The laughter only got louder as he struggled against the invisible restraint and it made the boy want to cry. He needed help but he didn't know who to turn to. _

"_Derek!" he finally called, "Derek, _help me_!" _

"_Morgan can't help you," A voice sneered and it sounded strangely familiar to Spencer. _

"_Who are you? Who's there? Why are you doing this to me?" He pleaded. "Where's Derek, did you do something to him?" _

_The laughter that had erupted around him turned into chants of, 'faggot, faggot, faggot' and just when Spencer thought he couldn't take it anymore, it stopped. Silence filled the air and whatever was keeping him from moving was gone. The lights around him even dimmed and he didn't have to squint to make out the shapes of his surroundings. That's when he noticed someone was walking towards him and his first instinct was to coward away but then he saw that it was Derek. _

"_Derek!" He cried running to the lean boy, "I was calling for you, I—," But as soon as Reid reached him, he vanished into thin air. Again he was left alone on the football field as the lights shut off suddenly, leaving him in complete darkness. _

_Feeling alone and helpless Spencer fell to the ground, curled up into a ball, and began to cry. _

* * *

**A/N: **Why hello there lovelies,

Sorry that this chapter took a million and two years to post...I've just been busier than a bee! I know it's not the longest update in the world but I hope it catches your fancy and you enjoy it (:

So here's the thing you readers: I like to hear how my writing is. I like to know if you're absolutely in love with it or if there's something that bothers you about it or even if there's something you'd like to see in the story that you want me to add. I love suggestions! But I only get a few reviews a chapter. Which makes me sad. Not that getting reviews makes me sad, but that only a handful of you comment on my newest edition. So I'm proposing something.

If you are a reader of my work I am asking that you please review at least one chapter. It could be this one or an old one or one that's coming up...I don't care! I just like to know that everyone reading this story has nice words to say about it.

And yes, I mean you all my darlings who have me on their story/author update lists but haven't made one review on this story.

ANYWHO! I hope you enjoy this one, and keep your eyes peeled for more.

~NorthernxDownpour

p.s. I hope my request didn't sound too...bitchy...I didn't mean for it to sound that way if does sound that way ):


	10. Chapter 10

The shrill beep of Spencer's Darth Vader alarm clock ended his sleep and he sat up with the vivid memory of his dream in his mind. Surprisingly awake, he hit the clock's dismissal button, got out of bed and ambled around his room picking up the clothes he'd scattered last night and throwing them into the hamper by the door. Then he chose something to wear from his dresser. He never went to school looking spiffy or anything, just his usual pair of pants and a short sleeved button-up. Sure it made him look dorkier than Arvid Engen but he couldn't help that.

He took a quick shower in the bathroom and towel-dried his hair, letting it fall messily around his face. He washed his face in the sink and brushed his teeth before he slipped the clothes on his scrawny body, and spent one long moment approving of his looks before he entered into his room again. His messenger bag was where he had left it and conveniently his Chucks were there too. He picked out two mismatched socks and slid them on his pale feet before slipping the shoes on and lacing them up.

Grabbing the leather bag he was heading out of his room when he noticed the cake that Maria had gotten him; it was still sitting on his desk and he hoped that it hadn't gone stale or anything. He was truly touched by the gesture and couldn't let it go to waste. He picked it up and carried it downstairs with him to the kitchen, where he put it in the fridge. While in there he pulled out the milk and set it on the counter next to his box of frosted mini-wheats. They were chocolate of course, because who in their right mind would eat plain old mimi-wheats?

Opting to not leave dishes for Maria, he used a plastic bowl and poured the cereal and milk in it before putting each item back in their respected places. He found a plastic spoon as well and leaned against the counter as he ate his breakfast. Spencer only sat down at one of the two dining tables in the house if he had to, otherwise opting to sit on his beanbag chair in front of the television or on his bed with his laptop next to him.

He finished his cereal quickly and then ambled around the kitchen looking for things for lunch. He found an apple and a small individual baggie of pretzels and dropped them into his lunch pail. Then he opened the fridge and found a slice of leftover pizza from the other night. It was white with some spinach on it. He figured that would do it since, even though he was remarkably awake for how early it was, he was still incapable of making a sandwich or anything else at the moment. He dropped the tinfoil wrapped slice in there as well and added a chocolate chip cookie too. Spencer was now ready for school. His homework was complete, he was dressed, he had breakfast and his lunch was finished. Glancing at the clock he saw he had five minutes before Derek would arrive to pick him up, and in that time he made sure that everything was off in his room: the lights and his laptop, as well as the lights in the bathroom. He also filled up his plain silver SIGG water bottle and slid it into his bag so it was nestled between his binders and the side of the leather.

Now completely ready to go, he let himself out of the front door, and shivered at the chilliness that greeted him. Not that he expected the September morning to be warm or anything, but he had at least predicted some bothersome humidity that tricked people into believing it was somewhat warm out, though there was none of that yet either. He wrapped his arms around himself and walked down the stone pathway to the driveway when he heard the tires of Derek's truck grinding against the stones. He was precisely on time, if the stone sundial in the garden was correct (and no, Spencer had no shame admitting that he taught himself to read a sundial). The older boy grinned at Spencer as he pulled up to him and stopped. Spencer opened the door and hopped into the truck, closing the door behind him and buckling up.

"Hey kid,"

"Hi," Spencer smiled and leaned in pressing an impulsive kiss to his lips. Just a short, quick one, but Spencer was still mulling over his dream in his head and even though it sounded foolish, he wanted to make sure that Derek was actually there, and wouldn't disappear anytime soon.

"Wow," Derek laughed, "Good morning to you, too!"

"I'm sorry," Spencer said sheepishly.

"Don't be sorry," Derek told him, "You know I didn't mind that." Spencer smiled shyly at Derek who grinned back and mussed his still-damp, shaggy hair before he put the truck in drive and made his way out of the driveway. "So, you seem pretty awake today Reid, are you sure you need coffee?"

"Yes!" Spencer practically shouted.

"Whoa kid, I was just joking with you! You answered that like your life depended on it!"

"Because it does," Spencer pointed out.

"Sounds like you need an espresso then..."

"Actually no," Spencer shook his head, "People believe that espresso coffee is much more caffeinated but really it only has one-third of the caffeine that regular coffee does...which is surprising seeing as though espressos are usually just a shot-glass amount of coffee and it takes forty beans just to make one...oh! Caffeine, if you didn't know this, actually increases the effect of some painkillers like aspirin and—,"

"Pretty boy, you sound like Google."

"Sorry," Reid blushed and was embarrassed that he had gone off on one of his random outbursts with Derek as the listener. He had done so well at keeping them suppressed around his new friends the previous day, except Garcia who had actually found his habit intriguing, but she was the rare exception.

"No need to be sorry," Derek glanced over at him to show his reassuring look, "It's a quirky thing to do, but it makes you adorable."

"Adorable, eh?"

"Indeed."

"That's what Garcia told me yesterday," He laughed, "Except I believe she referred to me as 'cute', but, they're synonyms."

"Well that women and I think alike so it's no surprise," Derek said, "I believe with all my heart that she and I are platonic, heterosexual soul mates and if I didn't like men too much, and Will wasn't head-over-heels for her, I might just try and _woo _her," He poked fun at Spencer still by using the term.

"Are you ever going to get over that word?"

"Nope," Derek shook his head, "It's just too funny that you used it."

"It wasn't that funny at all!"

"Yes it was,"

"No it wasn't!"

"Was too,"

"Was not!"

They continued to argue like small children until they arrived at Starbucks with a bit of time before they had to make it to school for the warning bell. Derek parked in the closest open space and turned the truck off. As they were getting out Spencer reached into his pocket.

"Shit!"

"What?"

"I left my wallet," He told Derek.

Derek didn't even stop walking to the door, "So?"

"How can I get anything without money?"

"I'm buying,"

"I couldn't ask you to do that!" Spencer protested and that got Derek's attention. The older man stopped in front of the door and turned around to face his younger companion.

"You don't have to ask, because I'm insisting." He said, "I mean you're the one who insisted on _at least _two dates before we date, right?"

* * *

A/N: Wow.

So it's been dumb long since I posted a new chapter to this story, I know, but I hope that most of you read my authors note and know that I didn't mean to do that on purpose.

That's why I've granted all of you lovelies with a new update! This is chapter ten of Faces in The Hall, and it's on the very-short side, I know, but I hope you all enjoy it!

Lemme just point out a few small things that I don't think I did earlier:

For starters, Spencer is fifteen in this story, not twelve. I know that I mentioned that in review-replies to a few of you, but I can't quite recall if I sent the message out to the whole...if not, then that's the conformation of age for you. If I did, then sorry for repeating myself and sounding like a broken record, but I just wanted to clarify.

Also, I know that in the show Derek's father died when he was nine, but I'm changing things and making his father alive and well.

And that is it for pointer-outers. Again, I know the chapter is short, short, short but I hope you all enjoy it and post beautiful comments about it!

xoxo NorthernxDownpour

p.s. I think I mentioned this once but...I'm working without a beta so if there are mistakes in my spelling, or grammar, or sentences that don't make sense, etc. please, please, PLEASE let me know! My usual go-to beta isn't familiar with the show or the characters so she opted out of looking over this story for me and so I'm on my own, which is a bummerr...but if there are any kind souls who love to edit things please let me know! I would love for someone to polish the upcoming/previous chapters for me! (:


	11. Chapter 11

Spencer sat across from Derek nursing his tall coffee, which was more sugar than anything, and nibbling on a doughnut. He shyly glanced up at the older man, who was staring right at him, once or twice, but otherwise chose to keep his eyes trained on his breakfast in front of him.

"Why so quiet, kid?" Derek finally asked.

"Oh...uh," Spencer stammered, "I was just thinking."

"Thinking about what?"

_How good you look in that V-neck and those jeans, how cute you are when you look at me and you think I'm not paying attention...how much I want to kiss you again..._all of those things were on the tip of Spencer's tongue, but he couldn't say those things now. So instead he shrugged and said, "School...and all the stuff that goes with it."

"Ha, there's a lot," Derek remarked.

"Yeah I know," Spencer nodded and then bit his lip thoughtfully, "I guess I was just thinking about all the stuff that happened after just one day. I mean I've already made five friends who I actually trust with more than just my basic information and already know which classes I'm going to love and which classes I'm going to hate...oh, and I have the most amazing man trying to _woo _me," He sneered the word in a playful manner which earned a laugh from Derek and he smiled widely at him before he went back to his more serious, thoughtful expression, "But...I don't know, I guess I'm just a little awed at how fast things are going by."

"Hun, you're in the Greater-D.C. area...do you know how fast everything moves here? Well, everything except the construction and traffic?"

"I suppose you're right," Spencer said taking another sip of his coffee which was becoming cool, but he didn't really care.

"I know I'm right," Derek stated and then continued with, "Now can we stop pondering life and start talking about things."

"I wasn't pondering life, just the different aspects of school."

"Which is your life at the moment, thanks to the fact that it's the equivalent of prison; you're trapped in there for six and a half hours only to be let out with at least four more hours of work in your backpack that's due the next day. And I'd say four hours of homework is if you're lucky."

"Okay, fine, fine." Spencer rolled his eyes, "School equals life and I'll stop pondering it."

"Thank you,"

"Yeah, don't mention it."

"My, my you are just one little sass-ball aren't you?"

"Sass-ball?"

"You know...sassy...sass...sass-ball?"

"No...I don't know," Spencer shook his head, "I know sassy, yeah but...sass-ball?" A smile hinted at the corner of his lips and he wanted to laugh at Derek for his choice of words.

"It's what we call really sassy people..."

"It's hilarious in a 'what were they thinking when they made that up' way."

"Wow, thanks,"

"Anytime," Spencer smiled, "I'm really great at boosting confidence."

"I see that,"

Derek glanced at the wall clock and swore under his breath, "Shit,"

"What?"

"We have to get going for school."

"Oh," Spencer said, manifesting the disappointment they shared in his tone, "Okay." The two had been having such a good time that they didn't want to have to leave. Spencer got up and dropped the small remainder of his doughnut in the trash but clutched at his coffee, unable to let it go.

"Don't worry most of the teachers let you drink in class, you don't have to throw that out." Derek laughed.

"Good," Spencer said quickly. There was no way in hell he was going to throw the cup out before it was empty.

The older boy cleaned up his trash and then motioned for Spencer to follow him out the door. They got back into the black truck and buckled in. Derek set the station to the alternative music they'd been listening to on the car ride to Spencer's house after school, and they jammed to not-so-well-known A.F.I. and Jack's Mannequin in the few minutes it took to arrive at McLean high school. Derek pulled into a parking spot next to a red pickup truck that looked almost identical to the black one they were in.

"Ha, look it's the same truck as yours!" Spencer said feeling proud that he started a conversation about something he knew nothing about. His mother's car had been a crappy nineteen-sixty-five Volvo Amazon so it wasn't like he was very educated on car brands or which ones were nice or not.

Derek actually looked offended when he looked over at Reid, "No, that's a Ford...this is a Dodge."

"Oh...I'm sorry," Spencer shrunk back in his seat.

"No, no!" Derek said quickly probably noticing how he actually seemed hurt by his friend's comment, "I didn't mean it like that...I just have an attachment to my car, as most of us do around here."

"It's alright; I'm just not very up-to-date on things like cars."

"Well if you spend time with me and Will we can fix that. Garcia too, she knows her stuff."

"Tempting..." Reid began, "But I'll pass. I'd much rather read about science than talk about cars,"

"And I'm surprised by this why?"

"You shouldn't be."

"I'm not,"

Spencer laughed and then said lightheartedly, "Sorry that I'm not cool or anything."

Derek looked at him seriously, "I hate when you say that."

"I was kidding!"

"Good," Derek said, "Because you know that you really are cool, right?"

"Because knowing everything there is to know about...well...everything makes me so cool, right?" Now Reid was becoming a bit defensive as well as serious.

"That's why I'm friends with you,"

Spencer held the older man's gaze for a while before looking away, laughing a bit, "I can't take these intense situations."

Derek laughed, "Okay just promise me you'll stop putting yourself down like that."

"I promise,"

"Good." He leaned over and pressed a kiss to Spencer's cheek, "I think I see Will and Penelope over there, let's go."

The boys got out of the truck and Derek locked it behind him before they went over to the sidewalk were Will and Penelope were indeed walking into school. Reid giggled when he saw Will's face, which was scrunched up in a frustrated expression. Penelope was probably blowing off his attempts at flirtation again. He also had his eyebrows raised at her outfit today: a black dress with bright red cherries all over it, red wedge shoes, and cherry earrings dangling from her ears.

"Looking good Penelope!" Derek called and she spun around on her heel.

"Mr. Morgan! Ah, and Little Reid, good morning to you two!" She stopped and waited for them to catch up, Will hovering behind her.

"How's it going?" Derek laughed, wrapping an arm around her waist and pressing a kiss to her temple.

"Oh I'm just fabulous and yourself?"

"Pretty amazing," Derek grinned looking over at Spencer.

"What? What is the slashy-eye-contact supposed to mean?" Penelope demanded.

"Nothing, nothing," Derek said.

"No, no, no Derek you don't do that to me!"

"Keeping my mouth shut..." Derek pretended to zip his lips.

"Spencer, what is all this ruckus about?" Will drawled over Derek and Penelope's bickering. Spencer turned bright red and looked from Derek to Will to Penelope.

"Uh, nothing?"

"Nothing! Nothing is what he says!" Penelope threw her hands up in the air, "Yeah right!"

"Yeah right what?" JJ and Emily appeared next to Spencer, hand-in-hand.

"Derek and Spencer are withholding information from me," Penelope pointed at them accusingly.

"Well you know that's not allowed," JJ said seriously.

"Yeah well," Derek stuck his tongue out.

The warning bell rang suddenly and the students outside scrambled inside quickly. The six friends made their way in as well and Derek and Reid headed off in the direction of calculus.

"Oh, Derek!" Penelope called over her shoulder.

"Yeah?"

"I will pry whatever you're hiding out of Reid, don't you worry,"

"As will I," JJ added.

"Wow, you guys are horrible," Derek shook his head playfully; "See you at lunch." The two boys made their way up to their calculus class and were greeted by Mr. Rossi.

"Hello Derek, Hello Spencer. How're we feeling today?"

"Wonderful," Spencer answered with a smile.

"Glad to hear it," He patted Spencer's shoulder. "And Derek, I saw your practice yesterday, looking good I must admit. Do you think football will have a winning season this year?"

"Hopefully," He nodded, "And if I have anything to do with it, so will basketball."

"That's what I want to hear," Mr. Rossi laughed before closing the door to start class. He began by collecting the practice tests and handing back the ones he graded. Spencer received his with a big 100 on the top in red ink. Then he handed out text books and assigned homework and classwork. Spencer and Derek began to work diligently and finished the classwork and half the homework before the bell rang.

"Nice work today Reid, you too Morgan." Mr. Rossi said approaching them, "I'm glad you two are doing such focused work this early in the year."

"We're making up for how unfocused we'll be in May,"

"Yeah, yeah, don't tell me that." Mr. Rossi laughed.

"See you tomorrow," The boys said before leaving the classroom. Derek walked Reid to his AP Lit class before heading off to his own class and Penelope greeted him excitedly.

"Hi there Reid," She grinned, "Now you have to let me know what the whole mushy-gushy eye contact thing meant this morning."

"You really aren't letting that go," Reid rolled his eyes.

"No! I'm not!" Penelope exclaimed and then Will came through the door and slid into the desk next to her.

"Well hello there my lovely," He said smoothly, tugging gently on one of her curls.

"Don't touch my hair!" She exclaimed, batting his hand away.

"Jesus Garcia, you're killing me!" Will held a hand over his heart, "But seriously!"

"I don't see how that's possible," She said turning her head to look at Reid again, "Now where were we?"

"We were about to begin," Ms. Strauss came gliding through the door with books in her hands, "We'll begin our first novel today. Who here loves Shakespeare?"

Reid's hand went up impulsively but then when he realized no one else way raising their hands and some of the kids in the back were laughing at him, he put it down slowly.

"Glad to see at least one of my students will be enjoying this until. _The Taming of the Shrew_ is one of my favorites, plus I thought we could start with a comedy rather than a tragedy." She began to pass out the book and while she did that Reid felt a light tap on his arm. He turned to see a piece of folded pink paper on his desk.

_TELL ME! _

Penelope's frilly handwriting demanded in huge letters.

_Not until you tell me what's up with you and will...more specifically, why you blow him off when he's clearly in to you..._

Penelope scowled when she read his note.

_There's nothing going on there, he's just wasting his time. _

_You clearly like him back, but ignore all his flirtations. _

_Because they're probably not even real. _

_Why would you think that? _

_Because..._

Reid raised an eyebrow at her before he scribbled down his reply.

_Oh yeah Penelope, that's a good answer! _

_Don't sass me Mr. Reid!_

_Mr. Reid is my father, I'm Spencer._

_Oooh shut up. _

_Seriously though, why do you think Will is just kidding around? _

Penelope made a face before she replied.

_Because guys like him do not like girls like me._

_Says who? _

_Says society. _

_Society sucks, Penelope. _

_I have to be pretty like JJ or Emily to get a guy like William __LaMontagne. It's just a fact. _

_Um actually I love facts and that's not a proven one. It's actually more likely that men like women who aren't what the magazines show but because of the pressure on them, they date the women that they're 'supposed' to date._

_You're just trying to make me feel better. _

_No I'm not._

_Yes, yes you are! _

_I promise you, I'm not. How long has he be like this towards you? _

_A while now..._

_Yeah. He likes you. Seriously. _

_And how would you know Mr. "I've never talked to girls"? _

_Because I didn't think people would like me because of the way I am: young and nerdy. But Derek likes me. _

_WHAT? _

_That's what the whole mushy-gooshy eye contact was about. _

_OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD! CAN I PLAN YOUR BIG, GAY WEDDING?_

Spencer froze at the word 'gay'. Sure, he said it all the time and talked about Gay Rights issues, but he never heard it towards himself, or even used it towards himself. He wasn't sure if he was or not, and even if he was, he was not comfortable labeling himself.

_Whatever, this isn't about me, this is about you and I was just an example to show you that Will really does like you! _

_Ugh, I guess maybe you're right. _

_I know I am. Go for it. _

_Meh. _

The bell suddenly rang and the two realized their note taking had lasted all class. "Remember to read the first fifty pages for homework tonight," Ms. Strauss reminded everyone before they got up and left. The three friends walked to the lunch room and met up with the others at the same table they had sat at yesterday.

"Derek likes Reid," Garcia told Emily and JJ when Will and Derek left to get food.

"What?" The couple exclaimed.

"He told me so himself, right Reid?"

"Will likes you Garcia," Reid shot back, even though he knew that the others knew that.

"This isn't about me," Garcia scowled.

"Everything is about you,"

Garcia jumped and glanced over to see Will slide in the chair next to her. "Will! That was fast,"

"There weren't many people in line today,"

"Of course there weren't," Garcia muttered.

"So what're we talking about?" Will asked the group, "I love conversations."

"Where are you from?" Reid suddenly blurted out.

He let out a laugh and then said, "New Orleans, born and raised. I just moved to Virginia about two years ago,"

"Your accent was just too strong to be from around here,"

"Yeah it is,"

"So Spence," JJ said to her younger friend, "Did Derek invite you to dinner on Friday?"

"Yeah, he did," Spencer nodded.

"Are you going to come?" Emily asked.

"Yes I am!" Reid laughed, "I love Chinese food, and you guys are okay, so I figured it would be nice."

Emily laughed, "Wow...you have gotten so sassy overnight!"

"I love it," Garcia laughed, "It makes him so adorable!"

"Everything makes him so adorable," Derek said sitting down next to JJ.

Spencer blushed bright red, "Derek, stop."

"Stop what? All I said was that everything makes you adorable!"

"Stop calling me adorable in front of everybody!"

"But I love calling you adorable,"

"Oh my God!" JJ exclaimed, "Are you two dating?"

"No." Spencer shook his head.

"Not yet," Derek clarified, "Pretty boy here made me promise I'd go on a few proper dates with him before I could ask him to be my boyfriend. He said I could 'properly woo him'."

"Woo?" Garcia laughed, "Reid, you are just too cute!"

Spencer glared at Derek, "Let's see how many dates you go on now, Derek Morgan."

"Aw kid, you know I love when you say 'woo'."

"And you know I love when you go to the movies alone,"

"Ouch. You are a horrible, wicked man."

"I try," Spencer smiled, popping one of his pretzels into his mouth.

The rest of lunch was filled with laughter and joking and when the bell rang, letting them know it was time for Physics, Reid was instantly saddened. He loved spending time with these people he could honestly call his friends. As he was throwing his trash away Derek came up behind him and whispered into his ear,

"Meet me in the lobby afterschool."

"Huh?"

"Just do it,"

"O-ohkay..." He muttered then stumbled to follow the older man to Mr. Gideon's classroom. He slid in his seat next to Emily and pulled out his book, binder, notebook and pencil before jotting down the homework for the night in his student-planner. Not surprisingly, as soon as he looked up he saw a folded piece of paper on his desk. Rolling his eyes he glanced over at Emily who just smiled and looked at the front of the classroom.

_I TOLD YOU DEREK IS IN LOVE WITH YOU!_

The huge, pink words made Spencer roll his eyes even more.

_You said he was in to me, not in love with me...p.s. that color is blinding, tell JJ to get you purple next time. _

_I happen to like this color and because JJ gave it to me, I love it. So I will be sure to write everything I ever give you with this pen. And "in to you" and "in love with you"...they're pretty much the same thing._

_Not entirely. _

_He's in love with you okay?_

_I'm not sure if we're there yet. It's been less than forty-eight hours. _

_Don't you believe in love at first sight? _

_No. It's impossible. _

_You need to read more fairy tales. _

_I read Kundera if I want to read fiction. _

_Are you kidding me? Beautiful writing, but rather depressing..._

_You read Kundera? _

_Sometimes._

_Wow, you're not as insane as I thought you were. _

_Har, har. _

_I'm so funny._

_You're so not. _

_Anyway, I am rather attracted to Derek but not in love. Not yet. You heard him, I made him promise to properly woo me._

_Haha...woo._

_Yeah, yeah make fun of me. See if I care. _

_Okay (: _

Spencer laughed at the smiley that she put next to her last note, but he couldn't write a reply because Mr. Gideon was now addressing him.

"Do you know the answer Mr. Reid?"

Spencer looked at the chalkboard and then back at Mr. Gideon, "If a ball was thrown up from the surface of the earth at a thirty-degree angle, its acceleration just after it's released is downwards at nine-point-eight meters per second squared."

"Very, very good Mr. Reid," Mr. Gideon nodded and the whole class turned around to gape at him because he answered the question correctly even though he had not been paying attention at all.

"You really are a genius," Emily whispered.

"I guess so," Spencer shrugged and then the bell rang letting the kids know they could go to their last class of the day. JJ came to the back of the room to give Emily a quick kiss on the lips before she linked her arm through Spencer's.

"Are you ready for Government and Law?"

"No."

"What? Why?"

"I hate those dumb guys in our class,"

"I know, but you just have to ignore them."

"It's so hard," Spencer muttered, "They're in my AP Lit class and they don't say anything. But in Law they're obnoxious."

"Are they why you got so upset yesterday?"

Spencer recalled the comments that were made yesterday and nodded, "Yeah."

"What was it that they said?" JJ asked seriously, stopping him right outside of the classroom. "I will make sure Ms. Greenaway does something about it..."

"Just forget it JJ,"

"No Spencer, you can tell me."

"I don't want to right now, okay?" He snapped and instantly felt bad, "I'm so sorry I just..."

JJ hardly seemed phased though, "It's alright. I won't pry anymore. When you're ready though, you know that any one of us will listen to what you have to say."

"I know," Spencer nodded.

"Just forget them today," JJ patted his back and they entered the classroom together.

Ms. Greenaway asked Spencer if he was feeling better after yesterday and he nodded, taking his seat next to JJ and praying that things would go better than the first day. He was surprised when the jocks in the back hardly spoke all class, probably still a little shocked by how stern Ms. Greenaway had become the previous day. It was a fun class actually; they played a game that would help their teacher learn how much they knew about the government and then watched a quick YouTube video. It was a funny rap about the different branches of the government that had Spencer and JJ giggling even after the bell.

"Sooo can I tell you something," Spencer asked his friend as they packed up and left the class.

"Sure," JJ nodded.

"Derek wants me to meet him in the lobby now," He said, "But it was pretty uh, suggestive? Like he had something planned."

"Ooooh, maybe it's another date!" JJ grinned.

"I don't know! That's why I'm telling you; you know Derek better than me, do you know what he might be up to?"

"Well I can tell you that, before a big game, Coach Gideon gives the guys the day off from practice so they can relax."

"And there's a big game tomorrow?"

"First one of the season." JJ nodded.

Spencer's stomach began to flutter like he had millions of butterflies in there, "Oh..."

"So maybe it really is a date!" JJ laughed as they approached the lobby, "Ooh look, there's tall, dark and handsome right now." She pointed to Derek who was talking to another student who looked like he was on the football team with him. "Run to him,"

"JJ stop," Spencer laughed, swatting her hand away when she tried to push him in the direction of Derek, "I'm going to amble over casually,"

"I don't care if you get a rocket ship to ride on, go to him! You two are so adorably adorable together and I need you two to get the show on the road!"

"Seriously, you are the biggest lesbian fag-hag."

"I can't help it! I've been trying to get Derek to find a boyfriend for years now! And he seems to really like you so I can't let this beautiful relationship slip away."

Spencer laughed again and rolled his eyes, "Alright, goodbye JJ. I'm going over to Derek now, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye Spence!" JJ kissed his cheek before she went to find Emily.

"Wow you got some game going on,"

"Derek!" Spencer turned around to see him, "Hi."

"Hey there," The older man laughed, "How was your last class?"

"Fun,"

"Glad to hear it," He smiled.

"So JJ told me that you have the afternoon off..."

"Dang, that was supposed to be the surprise!"

"I hate those."

"I know, but I'm still going to pull them on you anyway."

"Ugh."

"Anyway I was wondering if you wanted to do something. We could go out somewhere or just do something low key."

"Want to go back to my house?" Spencer asked, "It's really quite since my dad works in his office all the time and we could watch a movie or something,"

"Okay," Derek nodded, "Good plan. Let's go,"

"Alrighty." Spencer followed Derek out the doors and to his truck. When they got in Derek turned the keys in the ignition to start it up but before they left he leaned over and gave Spencer a kiss on the lips.

"W-what was that for?" Spencer asked once the kiss ended.

"That was to prove my mild-attraction at first sight." Derek grinned and took Spencer's hand in his big one, holding it all the way to the Reid household.

* * *

**A/N: **Okay hiii!

Here is the 11th chapter of the story and I hope you enjoyed it! It's a nice, longer one for you guys because I feel so bad about the huge breaks I take in between updates.

Anywho I'd like to address two things:

1. Spencer is 15 in this story, even though he really graduated high school at 12 in the show. I can't recall if I mentioned this in a A/N at the end of a previous chapter or just several review-replies, but I'm bringing it up now because I have gotten more recent reviews that mention this. I chose to make him 15 (almost 16) so the age difference between him and Derek isn't too, too weird.

2. I mentioned something in a previous A/N about how "unrealistic it is" to have "dumb jocks in an AP course". I didn't mean to offend anyone. I am a jock. I take Honors courses (not AP because I have no time...but high-honors courses). It's not unrealistic. I was just thinking about the stereotypical dumb, rude, punch-anyone-who-looks-at-them-funny jock that you find in novels and movies. I know that most jocks are very, very nice people and are very smart. But the mean ones in this story are not. So I apologize if that comment made you a little offended, I didn't intend to do that.

So that's that. I must apologize to you all though about the lack of updating. I'm currently working on a Reid/Hotch story that's progressing quickly and is taking up a lot of my time. I will be sure to get back on track with updating this baby though.

Thanks for reading!

NorthernxDownpour.


	12. Chapter 12

Hello my friends!

I thought I'd do my A/N before the newest edition to the story rather than my usual after-chapter note! I know, I know, this update is WAY over due. But it's here now! Without giving too much away, I hope you're ready for some slight Angsty!Spencer...he's so cute when he's sad(:

Also! I'd like to thank all of you who offered to help me out by beta'ing my chapters for me! It's awesome knowing that so many of you are willing to help! I've found my master of the words though and this is a shout-out to her amazing work: Shi-Toyu...THANK YOU!

Enjoy chapter 12!

~NorthernxDownpour

* * *

"Oh Spencer, you brought a friend!" Maria opened the door for the boys and smiled at Derek.

"Yeah, this is Derek; he's a friend from school."

"He is the one who brought you that note yesterday," Maria nodded, "Nice to see you again Derek."

"Nice to see you too, Maria." Derek smiled at her.

"Come, I feed you both. School must make you hungry." Maria ushered them into the kitchen, both of the boys laughing.

"It's really okay, Maria." Spencer told her. "I was thinking we'd just eat some of the cake you made me yesterday."

"Alright, whatever you like," Maria opened the fridge and handed it to him along with two forks.

"Thank you," Derek said and Maria patted his shoulder.

"Anything for you."

Spencer then led Derek down the short hallway and up the stairs to the small den just below his bedroom. "Is there something going on between you and Maria that I should know about?" he asked playfully, but also rather curiously because Maria was treating him like she knew him for more than two days.

"You caught me Spencer." Derek hung his head sadly, "Maria and I have been—,"

"Wait! Wait! I changed my mind; I don't want to hear any joke that will cause me to look at my father's housekeeper in a different way!"

"Okay, okay," Derek laughed, "I just talked to her for a bit when I wrote you that note. She's a cool lady and I'm a charmer when it comes to older folks. Parents, grandparents and housekeepers alike...they all love me."

"I must admit you are pretty charming," Spencer smiled.

Derek beamed, "You know it."

"So um...what would you like to do? As you can see I have a giant brain-musher in here," he pointed to the TV, "or we could go outside. We have a pool...but you don't have swim trunks...but you live right up the road so we could go get yours! But we could also just walk around the pond. Or there's always my bedroom..." Spencer stammered nervously.

"I like that last option,"

"Don't get any ideas," Spencer joked. "C'mon it's up this way." They climbed the stairs to the suite and Spencer gave Derek a small tour. "There's the bathroom," he pointed through the doors, "and this is my bedroom."

"Whoa," Derek walked towards the windows, "Spencer this is a really nice view."

"I know," Spencer nodded. "It's a really nice property." He walked over to his bed and flopped down on it. "I think this was actually like a creepy, tiny attic room before I moved in."

"Well it's a nice open room now," Derek smiled, "I like it."

"Yeah, so do I," Spencer replied and patted the bed next to him. Derek got the hint and joined him on the mattress as Spencer continued talking, "My dad wants me to pick out all this stuff for it like wall color and a new comforter and everything, but I'm not too keen on the idea. I told him I really don't care what it looks like, this is fine." He tugged on the old, faded plaid comforter and motioned to the hospital-grey walls. "I mean, I hardly look at the walls and the bed spread so I can't really have an opinion on them other than indifference."

"Well for now it's not _that _bad," Derek made a face, "But sooner or later the gang and I will help you redecorate."

"Sounds like a plan," Spencer nodded.

They sat there in a comfortable silence until Derek said, "This cake looks so damn good," and took the top off. "Hope you don't mind me just digging in like this."

"Not at all."

Derek took a big forkful and slid it into his mouth, "Mmmm, so good."

"I think I'll have a bite then." Spencer took a piece as well and popped it into his mouth. He made a noise agreeing with Derek's comment and then noticed that, since he used his fingers rather than silverware, he had a glop of yellow frosting on his finger. "Hey Der," he said.

"Yeah?" Derek looked up at him and Spencer quickly swiped the substance over the older boy's face. "Hey! Not cool!" Derek cried but he was laughing. "You have to warn me before a frosting war happens!" Derek lifted some frosting onto his own finger and smeared it on Spencer's cheek. "For that I get a free shot."

"Okay you're on!" Spencer sat up and took more frosting, as did Derek, and the two began to dodge each other, laughing as they did so. Spencer almost got Derek in the forehead with his frosting and Derek was only inches away from the younger boy's nose. Spencer jabbed his finger out, flailing it around and then suddenly stopped short because Derek had stopped trying to squirm away from him.

"You got me."

"I did?"

Derek moved his hand from his face, the hand that tried to block Spencer's winning blow, and Spencer saw the blob of yellow on Derek's bottom lip.

"I...I didn't mean to get you there."

"Sure you didn't," Derek said playfully and then stuck his tongue out to lick it away.

"Wait!"

"What?"

Spencer crawled over to Derek and said, "I made that mess, maybe I should clean it up." He looked up through his long bangs with innocent eyes and Derek closed his tightly.

"Jesus, Spencer, the things you do to me!" He growled, "I thought you wanted to take things slow."

"Stop talking." Spencer pushed himself to his knees so his face was only inches from Derek's. He then fit his upper lip around Derek's lower lip, sucking away the frosting. Derek's body jerked with the contact and he pulled Spencer onto his lap, coaxing the skinny legs around his waist. Spencer obliged to the closeness and pressed his body against Derek's.

The kiss deepened as Derek wrapped his arms around Spencer, letting them slide down to his lower back, keeping the younger's thin torso pressed up against his well-built chest. Spencer let out a whimper when Derek attempted to snake his tongue into Spencer's mouth and for a moment the older man faltered, but the young genius just pressed himself closer and opened his mouth willingly to Derek.

His wet tongue felt weird inside of Spencer's mouth, just twirling around in there, brushing over his own, but the younger, inexperienced boy liked it. He tentatively swept his own tongue around Derek's mouth and felt a weird sensation in his body when Derek moaned. Suddenly Spencer felt something against his thigh and he knew exactly what it was. Quickly he pulled away, blushing at the fact that the actions between the two boys caused Derek to become "excited" as his health teacher in tenth grade referred to it. He wiggled his way out of Derek's arms and then looked at his hands saying, "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I do want to take it slow."

"I understand that."

"But then I went and made out with you and...Well yeah, you know."

"It's alright Spencer, really it is." Derek reassured him by running his hand across the smooth skin of his cheek and then cupping his chin with his hand, "I promise you, its fine."

"As long as you're sure." Spencer bit his lip. "I'm just not ready for anything past kissing, you know?"

Derek let out a laugh. "Spencer, you know I'd never push you into doing that. If you think that we have to have a sexual relationship if we're dating, or that I'd ever pressure you into having sex, then you're wrong. I totally respect your wishes not to. And like I said, we don't have to have sex to date."

"We don't?"

"No, no we don't." Derek shook his head, "Where'd you get that idea?"

"The media."

"Aw, to hell with the media!" Derek laughed a bit. "It's not true at all."

"Well…"

"Well?"

"Well..." Spencer looked down at his hands again, blushing, before he looked back up and said, "I think I'd really like to date you then. Like boyfriends."

"Without me properly wooing you?" Derek asked with mock astonishment. Spencer punched him in the shoulder playfully.

"Shut up."

"Sorry." Derek laughed and then took Spencer's hands in his own. "Spencer Reid," he said, looking into the younger boy's eyes, "will you be my boyfriend?" Spencer answered him with a soft kiss on the lips. "I take that as a 'hellz yes!'"

"Did you just say 'hellz'?"

"I did."

"Wow."

"What?"

"And you're going to get at me for saying 'woo'?"

"Well 'woo' is a word that no one uses anymore."

"Well 'hellz' isn't even a real word! It's just something that thirteen year old girls use on the internet. At least my word was actually popular amongst sophisticated people at one point."

"Touché."

The two were silent for a few moments before Derek said, "So maybe there's something else you want to do?"

"Homework?"

"Eh..."

"What? You asked me if there was something else that I want to do and I always want to do homework."

Derek laughed and said, "I know you always want to do homework, but why?"

"To get it out of the way."

"What do you do once you get it finished in thirty minutes?"

"I read."

"Okay, why is that not shocking at all?"

Spencer shrugged with a smile on his face.

"So what do you read?"

"Fifteenth-century literature mostly."

"Wow, that's old stuff."

"Yeah I know but my m—," When Spencer realized where he was going with the sentence and stopped suddenly.

"What?" Derek asked.

"Nothing."

"No, no I like to listen to you, what were you going to say?"

"Nothing, Derek."

"Are you sure? Hey, is something wrong?"

Spencer was getting to the end of his rope with Derek and his questions, "Nothing is wrong, just stop asking questions."

"Spencer, it doesn't seem like nothing's wrong...talk to me."

"Who says I want to talk to you, Derek!" Spencer suddenly snapped, "I told you to stop talking about it but you just kept pushing and pushing. I don't want to tell you anything, so stop asking me to tell you what's wrong. I'm not going to, got it? Actually, just go. I can't do this right now, I have homework. I'm sorry." Spencer got up and went to the door. He opened it and stood there looking at a confused Derek. "Well?"

Looking hurt, Derek stood up with a nod, "I guess I'll just see you tomorrow then?"

"Yeah, bye."

Derek left the room and Spencer closed his door then went over to the windows. He leaned against the wall with his lips pursed and his arms crossed over his chest and he watched Derek as he left, looking sadder than he had when he exited Spencer's room. Once he was in his truck and pulling around in the driveway Spencer went over to his bed again and flopped down on it, pulling his iPod out.

This time he put on Green Day's _American Idiot_ album and curled up into a ball. He needed to listen to someone express the universal teenage feeling of being misunderstood, underappreciated and sad. He didn't want to be in Virginia, but he had to be and even though things seemed to be going great it had only been two days. His pessimistic side couldn't get used to the thought of maintaining these friends he'd made for the rest of the year. He wanted to believe he could open up to Derek and the rest of them about why he was living with his father now but he was protective of the situation and his only way to make sure he didn't become vulnerable over it was to keep it as far away from conversation as he could.

"Honey…"

Spencer didn't even know Maria had come into the room until she was gently pulling one of his headphones out of his ear. Jumping he pulled the other one out and looked at the older woman, "Maria! Sorry, I didn't hear you come in."

"It's okay." She smiled softly and patted the bed in front of her as if asking if she could take a seat. Spencer nodded and she sat herself down on the edge of the mattress, beckoning Spencer to sit next to her. "Why did your friend leave so soon?"

"He, uh, had to go." Spencer muttered, crossing his arms over his chest.

Maria rested a hand on his arm, "I know that you have much sadness about your mother," She said, "but you get over sadness by talking about it. Derek is your friend and he wants to help you."

"It's more complicated than that."

"I believe no." Maria shook her head. "Anything that bothers you, you talk about it and it makes you feel better. That's why people have therapy." Spencer just stared at the wall in front of him not replying to what Maria had said. She just patted his arm comfortingly and stood up, "I know it seems silly, but I promise it helps. I'm leaving now, I see you tomorrow, honey."

Spencer stood up too and gave her a hug. "Thanks, Maria."

"You're welcome, Spencer." She patted his back.

Spencer let go of her and said bye to her one last time before she left his room, leaving him alone. He went back to his bed and flopped down on it contemplating whether to grab his iPod again or go over to his desk where the folded up piece of paper was still tucked under his phone. After a few minutes he went over to the desk and picked up the receiver, dialing the same number as he had the night before.


	13. Chapter 13

My beloved fans!

I am so, so, so sorry about how long it took for me to update, and I apologize for how disappointingly short it is for such a long wait. I honestly have no idea where my head's been lately and I'm actually quite surprised that I remembered to even finish this chapter. But it's done and it's up and I hope you all enjoy it...oh, and thanks again for putting up with my lack of punctuality.

~NorthernxDownpour

* * *

"That was fast," Derek said when he picked up, "I thought you'd at least wait for me to call you..."

Spencer understood that Derek was trying to lighten the mood with humor, but he needed to get the weight off his chest now. "I'm sorry," he began, "I'm sorry about yelling at you and being a jerk. I just..." an irrepressible sob escaped his throat and he couldn't help but sniffle as a few more escaped.

"Spencer! Are you okay?" Derek asked, and after a few moments of no reply he said, "Hold on, I'm coming to get you."

A protest was on the tip of Spencer's tongue, but then he remembered what Maria had told him, about how Derek only wanted to help him, and he nodded and stammered out, "O-okay,"

"I'm going to hang up the phone now—,"

"No!" Spencer cried, "I mean. Please don't hang up,"

"Alright, alright," Derek said calmly, "I'm leaving my house right now," in the background Spencer could hear him grab his keys and open a door. "Getting into my car," Spencer heard the beep of his car when he unlocked it and then the car door open and close almost back-to-back. The hum of the engine was only a murmur but Spencer could still hear it before Derek said, "Leaving right now."

"Okay."

As Derek drove he murmured soft, reassuring things to his younger boyfriend who was shaking as he tried to hold in everything he was feeling. After what seemed like forever, there was the sound of an engine being turned off and a car door opening. "I'm here,"

Spencer couldn't help himself; he slammed the phone down and ran down both sets of stairs and out the front door. Derek was just getting out of his truck when Spencer slammed into him, fitting his head in the crook of the older boy's neck and letting more sobs escape.

"Hey," Derek said soothingly, "Hey I'm here Spencer, I'm here."

"I..." Spencer began but couldn't continue.

"Sssh, it's alright." Derek murmured, pressing his lips to the top of his head. He let Spencer cry for a few more minutes before he suggested softly, "Why don't we take a walk?"

"A walk?" Spencer repeated, looking up at his friend with puffy, red eyes. "Okay,"

"We'll go across the street, it's a nice path."

Spencer nodded and followed Derek, who was a few paces in front of him. They made it to the end of the driveway and Derek looked both ways to make sure no one was speeding down the road before he took Spencer's hand and lead him to the beginning of the path. Derek changed his speed from a normal pace to a slow amble, with Spencer following him like a rag doll.

When they were at least ten minutes deep into the beautiful woods the path went through, Derek found a large rock and lead Spencer over to it, sitting down and patting the cold surface next to him, implying to the younger boy to join him. Spencer slowly lowered himself onto the rock and then opened his mouth to talk.

The only thing that came out was another choked sob, and Derek quickly wrapped him up in a hug as he continued the tears he had held him while waiting for Derek. "I'm sorry," he began to sputter when he could, "I'm so sorry."

"Sssh, ssh it's okay," Derek reassured him, stroking his hair and patting his back. Spencer dug his fingernails into Derek's bicep and clung to him as he cried. So far, Derek was the only steady thing in his life and he didn't want to let go.

After what seemed like forever, Spencer calmed himself down to the point where he could talk. He cleared his throat several times and then allowed Derek to let him go from the embrace. Nervously he rubbed his palms over the thighs of his jeans before he said, "My mom...I lived with her in Vegas, and my grandma."

"Okay," Derek nodded, showing that he was taking in everything Spencer was saying to him.

"And well, my mom...she has problems." Spencer felt his throat tighten again but he pushed through it, "She schizophrenic, and she refused to take her medication. She was getting so bad, _so _bad," Spencer repeated and felt tears.

"Hey, you don't have to tell me everything," Derek put his hand over Spencer's, which was still nervously rubbing at his jeans.

Spencer nodded and continued, "Finally my grandma had enough, she couldn't watch her daughter deteriorate and watch me sit there and see it all happen. She had my mom admitted to a sanitarium and then she had me shipped out here because she can't take care of me on her own." Spencer looked at Derek and said honestly, "I hardly know my dad; he left my mom when I was young. I don't want to live with him, I really don't. I just want my mom back,"

"I understand Spencer," Derek said softly, "I get it, and I'm so sorry all of this is happening to you,"

"Yeah well, the Lord only gives you as much as you can handle."

"You're religious?"

"No, but I've read the bible a couple of times when I was out of books to read at home."

"Well then let me share some wisdom that's along the same lines," He took Spencer's hand in his own, "Everything happens for a reason."

"I know that," Spencer nodded and looked at their hands linked together, "I would have never met you if it weren't for me moving out here."

"That's exactly what I was thinking," Derek smiled at him and then said, "I know you really miss your mom and I know that you'd do anything to be with her rather than your dad right now. But just know that I'm here to talk about anything and to help you through it, and hopefully you can begin to call McLean 'home' someday,"

Spencer looked at the older boy, who probably couldn't compare how he was feeling to anything in his own life, but was still attempting to try, for Spencer's sake. He listened to what he was saying, and could hear the sincerity in his words. And despite all the pain he still felt about his mom, he knew that Derek and his friends would help him through it—Maria had said, he would feel better after talking about it, and right now after initially getting it off his chest, he felt so much better than before. He smiled shyly up at his boyfriend and squeezed his hand, "You know, someday I just might."


	14. Chapter 14

"I don't get it." Spencer muttered, pulling the blazer he'd worn to school closer to him. He wished he had been able to find his pea coat, but JJ and Emily had been rushing him to get out of the house and his father seemed happy that he was leaving with two girls and practically pushed him out the door.

"Get what?" JJ asked looking over at him.

"Why people get so excited about football."

"Really?" Emily stared at him, her mouth practically gaping. "It's just the most entertaining sport that ninety-five percent of the nation watches."

"Actually only about sixty-one percent of the population watches Sunday night football every week and—"

"Emily, you got him going again." JJ looked at her girlfriend with a faux exasperated look.

"I can't help that I know these things," Reid said cheekily.

"I can't believe you know these things…" Emily laughed.

"I told you Reid's from a different planet," Garcia shrugged, wrapping her insanely yellow, turtle-covered fleece blanket around her shoulders. Then she looked at the younger boy and noticed him shivering, "Aw honey, are you cold? Do you need a blanket?"

Reid was about to agree when he saw the pink monstrosity Penelope was holding out to him, "Are those monkeys?" he asked.

"Is there something wrong with monkeys?" she asked defensively.

"No…not at all…in fact I think they look great on you…" He began.

"Just dig yourself a deeper hole, why don't you?" Emily piped up with a smirk.

"Shut up Emily," Reid glared. Then, not wanting to upset his friend (and not wanting to be cold) he accepted the fleece and wrapped it around himself.

"Oh my God, Reid!" JJ practically squealed, "You look adorable!"

"I hate all of you right now," Reid grimaced, "All of you."

"Lies babe," Garcia grinned, "You love me!"

"I love you," He nodded, "Not this blanket though."

"You know you love the blanket." Penelope pinched his cheek, "It makes you look so delightful."

"Delightful?" He quirked an eyebrow, "Garcia you make me feel like some kind of dessert."

"Well you look as cute as a cupcake."

"I vote for a subject change right now," Reid felt himself blushing as he raised his arms to silence the friendly ridicule coming from either side of him. Thankfully, the crowd began to erupt and Spencer was saved as the McLean students stood up to make noise for the football team as they charged out onto the field. JJ, Emily and Garcia shot up and began cheering wildly. Spencer, unsure of what to do, stood up as well and clapped, letting out a weak, "Whoohoo?"

"That's right," JJ nudged him, "That's what you're supposed to do." Spencer smiled thankfully at the fact that JJ hadn't made fun of him for being unsure, and he clapped a little louder and let out another cheer.

He watched as the opposing team ran out on the field as well and the students around him booed, so he let out a long 'boooooooooooooo' with them. JJ kept glancing at him and laughing, and Reid felt himself blush every time. On the ride over to the field JJ had explained how much she loved football—being a die-hard Redskins fan and all—and Reid felt like he had to impress her as he knew nothing about the sport.

The other team presented their line up first, and Reid found himself booing along with crowd and not just because they were the team trying to beat McLean, but because no one should ever wear mustard yellow and purple together. It's an eyesore.

When the home team was introduced, Spencer found it hard to show enthusiasm for the players, including the meat-heads in his government class, but when they introduced Will, he let out a genuinely excited 'whoop' and when Derek ran onto the field, he erupted, along with the crowd around him.

Penelope nudged him and he looked over at her, only to blush at her wink.

The whole game dragged on slowly, the only thing interesting Reid was watching Derek in those tight pants, and afterwards he was somewhat relieved that it was over. McLean had won, so there was havoc in the stands: students cheering and screaming, stamping their feet and clapping their hands. Spencer couldn't help but enjoy it all along with them.

Spencer and the group finally made their way down the bleachers and to the fence where they waited for the team to walk off the field. After their team meeting under the goalpost, they finally came charging off, jumping and hugging each other with excitement. Winning the first game at home is always a great predictor for a season, JJ had told him.

"Derek! Will!" Penelope shouted and waved as she saw the friends walking toward them. They spotted their group and jogged over with huge smiles on their faces.

"Hey!" Will wrapped his arm around Penelope's shoulder and the other around Emily's, "How are y'all doin'?" he smiled at the blonde under his arm, "Thanks for coming to watch us sugar,"

Penelope's face turned deep crimson and she said, "Well, friends gotta support friends, right?" Will kissed her on the cheek and she let out a yelp, which resulted in a laugh from everyone but herself.

"Hey Der," Spencer smiled, taking a step forward and reaching out to touch his hand. Derek lifted it to rub the back of his neck though.

"Hey kid," He grinned, "How'd you like the game?"

"Football is kind of barbaric in my mind," Spencer said honestly, "But it was nice seeing you play...especially in uniform," He lifted an eyebrow suggestively and Derek glanced around to see if any of his teammates had seen the gesturer.

"Yeah..." he said uneasily, taking a step back and putting the slightest gap between them, "Well I'm glad you came, I have to run into the locker room and get changed but I can give you a ride home. Wait by my truck?"

"We'll walk over with you," JJ tapped Spencer's shoulder, leaving the conversation she, Emily, Will and Penelope were having; "We'll let the boys get showered and dressed."

"Okay," Spencer nodded and turned away from Derek. He followed the girls through the crowds of families and friends of the players, and McLean High's student body, and ended up in the parking lot which was bustling with just as much activity. They found Derek's truck and climbed into the tailgate, Emily and JJ cuddling on one side and Penelope and Spencer sitting next to each other, on the other side.

"Did anyone else see that?" Spencer finally asked. He hadn't noticed he'd interrupted the girls' conversation until they all stopped talking to look at him. They seemed surprised to hear his voice, as if he'd been sitting in silence for as long as they'd been there. In fact, he probably had been sitting in silence for as long as they'd been in the back of the truck, thinking about how Derek had acted after the game.

"See what honey?" Penelope asked.

"The way Derek blew me off after the game," Spencer muttered.

"What?" JJ asked, "What did he do?"

"I went to take his hand, and he backed away."

"Maybe he didn't know you wanted to hold hands," Penelope suggested.

"Or, maybe he stumbled or something," Emily added in.

"I don't think that's what happened," Spencer said bitterly, "He purposely took a step back, like he didn't want to be near me," hot tears threatened at the corners of his eyes.

"Aw babe," Penelope patted his shoulder, "Derek is just as new to this thing as you are."

"What?" Spencer asked.

"Der has never really been in a steady relationship before. He never really believed in monogamy..." Emily began.

"So he whored himself around?"

"No, no, not really," JJ quickly picked up, "He's only been in very unstable relationships: on-again-off-again type things. More like one night stands who've stuck around for a while...friends with benefits?" She tried all the things she could think of.

"So I'm just another one of those?"

"No!" Penelope practically shouted, "That's why this is so new for him! You're the exception!"

"One look at you, and that boy was gone!" JJ laughed.

Spencer let that sink in and he smiled a little bit. He was wrong to completely jump to conclusions; he didn't think that Derek was new to the whole relationship thing either, "Really?" he asked shyly.

"Oh yeah," Emily nodded.

Just then Will and Derek came from the locker room, laughing with each other. They approached the back of the truck and smiled when they saw their friends.

"Hey," Will winked at Penelope and then looked around at everyone else, "Derek and I were wondering if y'all wanted to go grab something to eat at the diner."

"I could go for some dinner," Emily replied.

"Yeah, me too," JJ agreed.

"Wherever people go, I must go, because I bring the party!" Penelope chimed in.

Derek looked at Spencer, who met his gaze for a few seconds before looking away with a blush, saying, "I'm pretty hungry."

"Great," Will said in his lazy southern drawl, "How about I take Miss Penelope, JJ and Em will go together, and Der can take Kiddo, and we'll meet there in fifteen?"

"Sound good to me," JJ said as she and Emily stood up and hopped out of the bed, "See you soon."

Penelope didn't even try to argue with Will, she simply stood up and slid out, trying not to let her funky skirt ride up in the back. Once they were off, it was just Derek and Spencer alone. The handsome boy smiled at his smaller companion, and climbed into the back of the truck with him. The parking lot was nearly deserted now and they were sitting under a blanket of stars.

"We have a few minutes," Derek smirked and went to wrap his arms around Spencer's waist.

"Wait," Spencer held his arm out to stop him. Derek looked at him with curiosity and sat back.

"What's up?"

"Before," Spencer began, clearing his throat, "Earlier, after the game...why did you step away from me? Why wouldn't you let me touch you? Or make a suggestive joke?" Even though the girls explained to him some possibilities, he wanted to know the truth.

Derek sighed and looked at his hands, "I'm pretty new to the relationship thing,"

"Yeah, they told me," Spencer said, "But that shouldn't keep you from letting someone hold your hand,"

Derek kept looking down, "My team doesn't really know that I'm gay,"

"What? I thought you were out?"

"I don't deny it," Derek said, "If someone asks I tell them the truth,"

"But?"

"But...no one on my team really asks. Because no one wants to know for sure; it's like don't ask, don't tell. I think they have some idea that I am, lots of people in school do, but it's more of a rumor that hasn't been confirmed by everybody yet."

"They repealed that, ya know. Don't ask, don't tell."

"In the military, yeah maybe, but the high school locker room? No way."

"So you're ashamed of me then?" Spencer turned his body from Derek's.

"What? No, Spencer!" he reached out and tentatively laid a hand on Spencer's shoulder, "Not at all, Spencer, I just want to keep us on the down low for a bit. Until I can come out to them and make sure that they won't mess with us."

"They would do that?" Spencer asked disgustedly, "I thought they were your friends,"

"Some of them are, and those people wouldn't care," Derek replied, "But it's the idiots I'm worried about, the ones who can't accept that times are changing and it's not all straight in the world anymore."

"I think some of those guys are in my government class,"

"Then you know what I'm talking about, and why I can't risk it right now."

Spencer took a moment to consider what Derek had said, and then he sighed, "Okay, you're right."

"I'm only looking out for you,"

"I know," Spencer smiled shyly, and then he leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to Derek's lips, before climbing out of the back of the truck, "So are we going to the diner or what?"

"Hey!" Derek laughed, following Spencer into the truck, "You can't just kiss me and then walk away."

"I believe I did," Spencer smirked.

Derek put the keys in the ignition and started the car up. He pretended like he was getting ready to back out of his space, but quickly leaned over to kiss Spencer, "I got the last kiss in!" he laughed.

And Spencer didn't mind one bit.

* * *

**A/N:**

OH MY GOSH!

I am SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SOOOOOO sorry about how late this is!

Y'all have been complete and total dears for putting up with my horrible posting.

I've been going crazy with the end of the school year coming up: final papers and tests and all that jazz. Luckily I'm out in one week! Then it will be summer time and in between work and holding the fortress down, I'll be writing as much as I can!

I really hope you enjoy this chapter. It's the beginning of the new drama. In the next few chapters, I will be moving forward in time, so a couple months into the school year now. And boy does it get really teenage angst-y! But that's why y'all are reading this, right? The whole High School AU, which always includes the high school drama, thing caught your attention.

Again, I am SO sorry on how late this is. But I hope you like it. And thanks again for being so patient. Hang in there my loyal readers!

~NorthernxDownpour


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: **So I'm taking care of the author's note before hand this time!

First let me start with: Hello! Thank you for stumbling upon this new chapter!

I would like to apologize for the length of time in which it took me to put it up, but let me tell you: don't be fooled by pop culture! the summer of your senior year is not just fun and games before you all go off to college. It's full of hard work and annoying chores and no time to yourself!

I finally found a moment to sit down and write this up, and as we speak I have the document for chapter 16 up and going! I'm trying to put in an hour for "sacred writing time" into my days now. An hour just for exercising my creative muscles. Lets see if I can keep it up!

Anyway I do have a few things to rattle through that relate to the story, not just rambling about my life!

-This chapter takes places at the end of November, so there is a time lapse. (Which means Spencer's 16th birthday fell on October 9th and is not mentioned really...)

-I've come to realize that "government class" is more like "current issues class," but I'm just going to keep calling it government.

-Robert Eric Wone was a real case in 2006. I remember when it happened, and I do remember the backlash the three men, who lived in the town house Mr. Wone was staying in, received. I do not know what happened. I was not there. The case was never solved. I grieve for Mr. Wone and his widow, but I do not hold anything against Joseph Price, his partner Victor Zaborskyor Dylan Ward. It just works with the story. I also know that I made the reference to the case very abstract, so if anyone would like further information I can help you out.

-I've rushed to some action. I really have. When this story was just a budding idea in my mind, I had the vision for this one very action-packed scene. I however did not expect to get to 34,000 words and not have this part play in. So here it is!

There's a twist in the plot guys, get ready for it. It's intense! I hope y'all enjoy it! Stay posted for chapter 16!

~NorthernxDownpour

* * *

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure,"

Spencer set his pencil down and looked over at Penelope who was giving him a look he'd never seen before. Her expression was puzzled, while curious and marveling at the same time. It was an interesting mix, but Spencer wasn't sure he liked when she used it on him.

"How come you never come to GSA?"

The question was not a new one, she'd asked him every Monday for two months now if he'd come. They all would. But Spencer had his reasons.

"I'm busy, Pen," he told her, picking his pencil back up and continuing his journal entry. When no response came, he knew she was giving him _the look_. Sure enough as he glanced up, Spencer saw that her lips were pursed in a thin line and her usually bright eyes were squinting in his direction. He would find the glare somewhat menacing, if it weren't for her typical "end of the month sum up" outfit she was wearing today, for November: a brown dress with a belt made of actual fall leaves, a stuffed squirrel on her shoulder and acorn earrings.

"I don't believe you," she said.

"Well, I am. You don't _have_ to believe me, but I have other things to do."

He hadn't meant to snap at her, but he realized he had when she didn't say anything for a very long time. He looked up again to see that she had returned to writing in her journal silently, not even the hint on a smile on her lips, as there usually was.

"Hey, Penelope..."Spencer began.

"Mr. Reid, I appreciated you more when you were doing your response to _Godot_, silently." Ms. Strauss called at him from her desk in the front of the room, and the chorus of giggles throughout the classroom made Spencer's face turn red. He went back to scribbling about whether he thought there really was a Godot or not, when something brushed against his hand. It was a neatly folded piece of paper from Penelope.

He carefully unfolded it to read her message:

You got so defensive honey :(

Spencer didn't know what to say. He knew that he couldn't tell her why he had gotten so defensive...no, just thinking about it made him want to curl up into a little ball and cry. He quickly jotted down a reply.

I know, I'm sorry Pen...I didn't mean to snap.

He passed it back to Penelope and waited for her reply. It came nudging at him only a few seconds later.

If something is wrong honey, let me know. I only want to help! (:

Spencer smiled as he read the note, but knew he couldn't tell her what was wrong. He looked over into her warm, searching eyes and gave a smile as he mouthed, "thank you." That seemed to be enough, because Penelope gave him an award-winning grin and a quick squeeze on the shoulder. He played up the smile until they were called to attention by Ms. Strauss, so she could introduce the homework assignment for the night.

xxx

Spencer was dreading going to government, and for this very reason.

He knew that as soon as he slid into his seat next to JJ, and the bell rang, that Ms. Greenaway would be handing out the latest news article:

**Robert E. Wone found fatally stabbed in DC Townhouse. **

This was a story that had made the headlines on Saturday, and for the rest of the weekend it was the only thing he had heard about. His father was big on the news, he had it going almost 24/7, and when this murder had come to light, it was the only thing the stations were playing.

Spencer hardly heard what Ms. Greenaway was saying about it. All he could hear was his father's words in his head: _"He was stabbed by one of those sick bastards, I'm sure of it. They're trying to cover it up with their stupid faggot blabbering and crocodile tears, but I know one of them did it."_

"Spence!"

"Huh?" Spencer looked over at JJ who was staring at him with the same concern Penelope had shown in AP Lit.

"The bell rang three minutes ago..." she began, "Are you alright? You've been out of it all day like this."

"I'm fine. Just tired," He lied.

"Well..." JJ began, but then voices from the doorway caught their attention.

"There you are! We were waiting for you out in the lobby!" Emily, Will, Penelope and Derek stood there, waiting for their friends to join them.

"That's right! It's Monday," JJ said and stood up quickly, "C'mon we gotta go set up for GSA," she gave Spencer a pat on the shoulder, a reminder that they weren't anywhere close to done with their conversation, and ran off with Emily and Penelope. Will made a face at Derek, waggling his eyebrows, before he ran off after Penelope shouting, "Wait for me sweet cheeks!"

Spencer moved slowly, but he got up and made his way to where Derek was standing in the doorway. The taller boy smiled at him and took a step back into the hallway, giving Spencer space to squeeze out of the classroom. "So are you finally coming to GSA today, kid?" he asked Spencer, trying to casually lay a hand on the small of his back.

Spencer shrugged him off and kept walking as he said, "I tell you this every time, I have stuff to do on Mondays."

"Stuff like what?" Derek asked, and Spencer just shrugged. "See?" Derek suddenly almost shouted, and it caused Spencer to stop in the middle of the hallway, "You always say 'you have stuff to do' but when I ask you what exactly, you never have an answer."

"Because I don't have to justify myself to you!"

Derek froze in the middle of the hallway, and Spencer kept walking until he realized Derek wasn't going to follow. He turned around to see the older boy staring at his hands in the middle of the empty hallway.

"What's wrong?" Spencer asked, walking back to him.

"Since that night in the back of my truck, things have been pretty great Spencer. We've been happy, as far as I can tell, without any arguments or complaints. We've become more comfortable with each other..." Derek said and eyed him with one eyebrow quirked.

Spencer felt a slight blush bloom over his cheek bones. This was true. They had been dating for nearly three months now, as next week would be the anniversary. After the initial awkwardness in those first two weeks in September, things had gotten better. While they were still keeping their relationship on the down low, they were happy with each other, going on dates every weekend and spending lots of time "studying" together.

On his birthday they had gone farther than ever, this time removing tee shirts, and actually getting below the waistband of their pants...

Spencer blinked the memory away. He opened and closed his mouth a few times before settling with, "So what's the problem?"

"You just yelled at me, for the first time, in nearly three months. You've been acting strange this whole weekend, since I picked you up on Saturday afternoon. What's wrong? Why are you acting like this?"

"I'm not acting like anything!" Spencer threw his hands up in the air, "You, JJ and Penelope all think that I'm 'acting so strangely,' I don't know what you're talking about!"

"How can you react like that, and tell me you're fine?" Derek demanded.

"Why won't you get off my back?" Spencer retorted.

"Because I care about you!"

Spencer let out a bitter laugh, "Oh, you care about me huh?"

"You know I do," Derek began.

"You care about me so much, that you can't even come out to your teammates, your school...do your parents even know?"

"They do," Derek nodded, "The others though, I just..."

"You just what?" Spencer asked and when there was no reply, "That's what I thought. I questioned my sexual orientation for weeks after I met you Derek. I wasn't sure if I liked guys or girls, or hell, either of them! For the longest time I was just this asexual nerd, and then you came along and I fell head over heels. I want to be as out and proud as Em and JJ are, but you won't let us! You're ashamed of me, aren't you?"

"Ashamed? What?" Derek took a step closer to Spencer, "Spencer, honey, I'm not ashamed of you at all!"

"Then why are you so secretive about us? Is it because you think I'm gross?"

"No!"

"Then what is it?"

"There are certain places where I need to act a certain way. It's for our own good."

"Maybe it's for your own good," Spencer muttered, "But not mine. I don't care if people ridicule us, or threaten me, or write things on my locker! The school will take care of them; they'll get what they deserve. I just want us to be happy for who we are. Proud of what we are!" His voice was rising, and he was saying this not only for Derek, but for himself. He was hoping that they'd both find courage: courage for Derek to face his team and his peers, and courage for himself to face his dad.

"I love you Derek. I think I am in love with you, and it's scary as hell. But I want to be able to ride the waves of this feeling with you right there with me. Not cowering off in a corner whenever your big bad teammates come along." The next thing Spencer realized, Derek was crushing their lips together in a passionate kiss, right there in the middle of the hallway.

The stronger boy manhandled Spencer over to the wall where he was pushed up against the painted cinderblocks, and held there by Derek's body over his. In the past months, they had mastered the art of kissing, but it seemed like every time they made out their tongues found new places to explore in each other's mouths. Spencer couldn't help but let a small sound of appreciation slip from his throat and escape into Derek's mouth. The taller of the two smirked and bit down on the fragile boy's bottom lip, sucking it and running his tongue over it.

Derek quickly pulled away at the sound of cleat-clad footsteps, and he realized they were standing near the locker rooms. "Shit!" he hissed, as he pushed Spencer as far from him as he could and turned around to see some of the football boys approaching.

"Derek? What the fuck are you doing here?" one of the kids from Spencer's government class snarled.

"Why aren't you suited up? Practice starts in ten minutes!" another joined in.

That's when they noticed Spencer trying to slink away from the scene, and they looked back at Derek, noticing the way his lips were swollen and red.

"Holy fucking shit, were you making out with this faggot?"

"Are you a butt-pirate Morgan? You like it up the ass?"

"I bet you and your fucking fairy were about to fuck, weren't you."

"Shut the fuck up," Derek growled, and Spencer wanted to melt into the floor.

"Aw, we hit a sensitive spot, didn't we?" they chided.

"Derek," Spencer began to reach out a calming hand when the boys began to make noise about it.

"Oh Morgan, your boo is trying to protect you! How sweet!"

"I forgot all you fags are pacifists, trying to keep everything fucking gay."

Derek turned on Spencer and glared at him with fury in his eyes, "Get the fuck off me," he barked, "Don't touch me."

"Der?" Spencer shot back like he had touched a hot stove, and it felt like he'd been punched in the gut.

"Don't call me that! Who do you think you are?"

"Why are you doing this?" Spencer pleaded, feeling the tears stream down his face. Not two minutes ago the tall boy had been advancing on him in a fervent way, now it was almost as if he wanted to pummel him.

"Don't get all emotional faggot on me, get out of here!" he reached out and shoved Spencer, sending him falling to the ground, a sickening popping noise sounding as he used his wrists to break the fall. The other boys in the hallway were laughing hysterically, egging Derek on. All insults they had thrown at him before seemed to go out the window once Derek had turned on Spencer. Spencer scurried away, around the corner, leaving his backpack where it had dropped when Derek had pushed him against the wall the first time.

As he ran as fast as he could down the secluded hallway, and out the first door he could find, Spencer found himself falling to his knees behind a group of dense bushes, crying and curling into a ball. His wrist throbbed and his mind raced with the images of the scene that had just played out before him. He mostly focused on how evil Derek had become once the boys found them together in the hallway: the flame in his eye, the sinister curl of his lips as he snarled...the way his large hand reached out to push him rather than caress him.

Spencer succumbed to the sick feeling in his stomach, and crawled a few feet away to retch, before he settled himself in the solid hiding place and closed his eyes to pass out.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: **It's short, so I thought I'd put it up.

~NorthernxDownpour

* * *

The cotton candy colored sky made Spencer realize he had slept for a while, but since his phone was in his backpack—which was long gone by now—he had no idea the exact time. He wrinkled his nose at the smell of his own vomit only a yard away from him, and he stood up to stretch before emerging from his safe haven.

He stumbled out from behind the bushes and came to the realization that he was behind the school, near the sports fields. A sudden rush of fear filled his body, but he came to find that the back parking lot was empty, save two or three cars, and no one was practicing on the green patches.

That forced a sigh of relief from his throat, and he looked around for familiar scenery. He needed to find the path to the front of the school, after that he could make his way to the main road and eventually walk home.

He took maybe three steps from his place on the sidewalk when he heard the voices that sent straight fear to the pit of his gut.

"There's Morgan's little boy toy."

"We were wondering where you went, princess."

Spencer, despite his body's urge to _run_, turned around slowly to see the group of four jocks that had caught him and Derek in the hall. Three he knew from government, the other he had seen around. From what he had learned from JJ's football knowledge, they were the linemen—big, scary guys who did all the tackling and brute contact. Spencer realized, even if he had tried to run, they would have caught up with him, and hurt him more than they were already planning.

"I really don't want any trouble," Spencer began, putting his hands up and clearing his throat, taking a step back as they all took a step forward.

"We don't want any trouble either," the one whom Spencer didn't know as well said, with a fake smile on his lips, "Right Trevor? We just wanted to give you a proper hello."

Trevor, the boy whom had said all crazy people needed to be killed, smiled evilly, "Yeah, you see, we have special ways of greeting special people like you."

"Really guys, it's okay."

"Really guys, it's okay!" Another one of them, who they referred to as Johnny mocked Spencer as they kept surrounding him.

Spencer kept backing up until he bumped into something hard. Hoping he had run into a teacher or a coach, he turned around only to be punched right in the face by one of the boys who had snuck up behind him. That was the breaking of the ice. After the first punch, the boys were on him like hyenas on meat and they sent punches and kicks into his chest and stomach, his back and his shoulders. He tried to block as many blows as he could and prayed silently to himself that they would get bored and go home and just leave him alone.

They taunted him, as they hurt him, calling him 'faggot' and 'fairy' and every other derogatory word they could think of to use on a gay man. They laughed at him and spit on him, and even ripped his shirt off and used it to whip at him.

After what seemed like hours of the torture, even though it was more like a few minutes, they dragged his limp body out to the football field. Spencer had no fight left in him. It was lost with his breath, after the first kick to his stomach. He wheezed and panted, tasting blood and tears on his tongue and wondered if anyone had heard his screaming, or if they had heard it but chose to ignore it.

There was a rush of cool evening air as his pants were stripped from his body, and he was being held up by the jock's meaty arms. Then there was stickiness around his middle and his thighs, all the way down to his ankles.

They had duct taped him to the goal post.

They had stripped him down only to his underwear, after beating him to a pulp, and taped him to the goal post to show off their handy work.

Spencer felt tears run down his swollen face, as the sound of their laughter faded away. He wondered how pathetic he looked to the world, strung up, bruised pale skin exposed. He wondered if his body was as broken as it felt. When they found him in the morning, would he be in one piece or when they took him down would he crumble like a cookie?

All he knew was that there was a warm comforting feeling every time he closed his eyes, and for fear or staying awake in the painful world, he shut them all the way, allowing the darkness to swallow him up.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: **I don't think I would have made it to bed if I didn't put this up. And I know some of you were disappointed with the ending of chapter 16. So here's for you.

Hot off the press, it's chapter 17!

~NxD

* * *

Spencer remembered the stinging feeling of the tape being ripped off of him, the tingle of warmth as they wrapped him up in a blanket and the silence once he gave into the darkness again. He decided that, if they really had beaten him to death, he didn't mind the 'death' part so much. It was quite peaceful.

Then there was some pinching and poking, a steady beeping sound and lots of talking. He opened his eyes and quietly looked around at the commotion.

Mr. Rossi was there along with Principal Hotchner and a man in a police uniform. Haley Brooks, Spencer's guidance counselor, was there as well talking to four figures that he knew very well. Penelope was crying into Will's shoulder and JJ was clinging to Emily's hand like her life depended on it. His father was there too, standing silently in the corner, reading a magazine.

"Uh, excuse me," He said to nobody in particular.

Everyone stared at him.

"Could I get a glass of water?" he asked sheepishly, and just like that the motion returned to the room again. A nurse bustled off to get water, Mr. Rossi, Mr. Hotchner and the policeman hurriedly finished their conversation, and his four friends practically pounced on him.

"Spencer! Oh my God, Spencer! You can't do this to an old gal like me!"

"Spence, I'm going to kill you for how badly you scared us..."

"What the heck happened? Who did this to you?"

"I swear little buddy, when I find out who hurt you, they're done."

The reactions all came at once and they did nothing to help the throb behind Spencer's eyes. He held his hand up to his forehead and he could feel how swollen his face still was. Slowly he dropped his hand and settled his eyes on the ground, "So, I bet I look as bad as I feel," he said quietly.

"Honey," Penelope reached out and took his hand in hers, "We want to know who did this to you."

"It was those jocks," Spencer said quietly, "The ones in our government class, Jay. And they had a friend."

"Four of them?" Will practically exploded with rage, banging his fist on the mattress below Spencer's feet, "Four of them beat you up Spencer? When I find out who it was I'm gonna...they'll be sorry...I'll—,"

He was cut off as Mr. Rossi placed a hand on his back and said soothingly, "Don't worry William; we'll be taking care of the boys who did this. Could you and Ms. Jareau possibly do me a favor? Could you go with Mr. Hotchner and identify the boys who did this? Emily and Penelope, could I ask you to go with Officer Kassmeyer as well?"

The students couldn't say no, so they followed the police officer out of the room and down the hall. Spencer looked over Mr. Rossi's shoulder to see his father make some hand gesture indicating that he would step out as well, and then it was just him and the two men in the cramped hospital room.

"Spencer," Mr. Rossi began, "All we know, is that we pulled into the parking lot this morning to find you taped to the goal post on the football field. You were practically naked, and even then I could hardly recognize you through the swelling and bruising."

"Mr. Reid, I assure you that this matter will not be taken lightly. You could have been injured far worse than you were," Mr. Hotchner stepped in, "We figured you'd feel more comfortable if we were to ask you what happened, instead of Officer Kassameyer. We understand recounting this to a stranger might make you uncomfortable." Spencer almost wanted to laugh at the irony of that statement: this was the first time he'd ever met the man.

"You don't need to lie to protect anybody. Tell us word for word what happened, and we will pass it on to the authorities," Mr. Hotchner continued, "This will be taken care of."

Spencer reached up again, to try and ease the pain of the throbbing headache, when he realized the wrist he was using was in a splint. He quickly remembered a large, strong hand on his shoulder grabbing him and throwing him down on the ground. The anger in the moment. The fire in Derek's eyes...

He closed his eyes and he shuddered.

"I don't want to press charges," he murmured, looking away from both of them.

"What?"

"I don't want to press charges," he repeated himself, "I just want this all to be over with!"

He shoved his face in the pillow and wished that they would just leave him in peace. Leave him to fight off the nightmares and the images that played through his mind like a movie; the images of an angry Derek.

"Spencer, you don't understand how serious this is," Mr. Rossi began, but stopped when Mr. Reid's voice sounded from the doorway.

"My boy says he doesn't wanna press charges, let him alone. Leave him to get some rest."

"Mr. Reid—," Mr. Hotchner began.

"Please. Give us some time,"

Spencer heard two plastic chairs scrape across the linoleum floor and a pair of footsteps walking away. He kept his face in the pillow for a few more minutes before he finally emerged to find his father sitting in one of the chairs, idly sipping his coffee and flipping through Sports Illustrated.

"Dad?" Spencer asked quietly.

"Why did they do this to you Spencer?" Mr. Reid didn't even look up from his magazine, "Why did they choose you?"

"I don't know," Spencer began and then remembered why they had gotten to him: because Derek was too big of a coward to stand up for Spencer, for himself, for _them _as a couple.

Spencer would not be that coward.

He looked his father right in the eye and said, "Actually, dad, I think it's because I'm gay."

William Reid looked up at that. He looked right back at Spencer and held his gaze, with pursed lips, for a moment before nodding and saying, "Well then."

"Do you want me to pack my stuff? Find somewhere else to stay? Bet you don't want a faggot of a son sticking around?" Spencer meant to sound more harsh than pitiful.

But William Reid didn't say anything. He just set the magazine down on the other chair and walked away, out of the room. Spencer stared at where his father had just been, his mouth gaping. He had just walked out on his son, after he had made one of the biggest declarations of his life.

He should have known that his father, who already hated him, wouldn't want to deal with him being gay too.

After a minute of trying to keep it cool, Spencer had his face buried in the pillow and was sobbing into it. He hated to cry, and yet here he was crying about everything all at once: Derek and the fact that he had the living hell kicked out of him, his dad's neglect and unwillingness to accept him as he was, his mom's illness...everything.

He heard three more sets of footsteps come in, but fall short and fluster before eventually leaving again. He heard the typical hospital noises before he heard nothing but the sound of his steady breathing, and the blood rushing through his ears.

xxx

He had cried himself to sleep and was now awaking from the short nap. The room was brightly lit with the afternoon sky and warm too. He stretched his arms and winced at the several different aches before he lay back down on the pillows. He rubbed his eyes and surveyed the room.

Derek was standing in the doorway looking right at him, "Spencer..."

"Leave," was all Spencer said.

"W-what?"

"I said leave. Get out of here."

"I don't understand—,"

"You don't understand?" Spencer cut him off furiously. He held up his wrist, "Does this help you understand? It's sprained from that nasty fall it broke. Do you remember why I fell in the first place?"

Derek looked at his hands, ashamed, "I'm sorry."

"About what? About pushing me down—physically hurting me—or about the pain you caused me when you turned on me like that? You didn't even stand up for me, let alone yourself! You just conformed to them, treated me like you'd never laid an eye on me! If only they knew what you've laid on me, and where you've laid it!"

"Okay!" Derek shouted, looking around to make sure no one had heard that, "Okay...I get it...I'm an asshole."

"You're not just an asshole Derek," Spencer said through gritted teeth, "You're a coward, too. You didn't stand up for me. You didn't stand up for _us_! And the worst part of all is you didn't even stand up for yourself. Are you ashamed of being gay?"

"No,"

"Then why? Why did you do that?"

"I don't..." Derek began. He was silent for a long moment before his shoulders sagged like the fight had been drained out of him, "I have nothing to say, Spencer. I don't know why I didn't stand up for us. I don't know why I screamed at you like that—called you those horrible names. I don't know why I threw you down, why I pushed you away from me. But I do know that, if I could take all of those things back, I would. I am so ashamed of myself, and I am so sorry for what I did to you. I know sorry doesn't make it better—,"

"It doesn't."

"But—!"

"But nothing, Derek," Spencer said sadly, "I thought I was in love with a man. Now I'm realizing he's just a scared little boy."

Spencer turned over then, onto his side, facing away from Derek. He heard Derek stand there for a minute or two, before finally turning around and walking out. He listened as Derek's footsteps went all the way down the silent hallway, and then the door opened, and he was gone.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: **What do you do when you're bored at work and have access to a word processor?

WRITE ANOTHER CHAPTER!

Woohoo! Get ready for some fatherly love and as always, friendly bickering amoungst the gang.

Enjoy(:

~NorthernxDownpour

* * *

The days following his attack were a blur of being ushered from one room to another, carefully handled by doctors running final tests, nurses taking care of him and finally Maria helping him into the car. The final consensus was: no concussion, no internal bleeding or damage, but lots of bruising and swelling and three broken ribs, plus the sprained wrist. He was ordered to a few weeks of taking it easy (aka, in Maria's world, bed rest) and a checkup after he'd had the restful time to heal.

Maria adored that she was able to dote on him every minute of the day. Like an old hen, she wasn't truly happy unless she was able to cluck around, fussing over somebody. Spencer enjoyed her company, the stories she told him about her family back in South America, and the family she had here in Virginia. There were fun stories of her travels and sad stories of her ancestors, and their perilous journeys.

She told him stories about life before he had moved in—the women who came but never stayed and the dog that was so unhappy he ran away to the house down the street. How he was the only thing William Reid hadn't scared away yet, save Maria.

"You know he loves you very, very much Spencer," she told him one day while they watch Days of our Lives on the small TV William had set up for him, Spencer becoming totally engulfed in the drama and Maria folding laundry idly.

"Huh?" Spencer looked up from the emotional argument going on and at Maria.

"Your father," Maria repeated herself as she folded a hand towel, "He really loves you."

"I guess," Spencer shrugged and Maria looked at him, holding his gaze with her serious one,"I mean it, I have heard him say."

Spencer didn't know how to reply to that. Maria had heard his father say that he loved him? Was this before he moved in, or recently? To save himself the pondering, he just shrugged and went back to following the episode, though the statement did not leave his mind completely.

It was some time during his second week into bed rest, that William stopped in before bed. Maria was staying late to help with Spencer, but once she left after taking his dinner trays down, he was on his own in his attic bedroom. This was the first time Spencer had seen his father since their chat in the hospital.

"Hey, dad..." Spencer began awkwardly after Mr. Reid tapped his arrival on the door and poked his head into the room.

"Hey son...can I come in for a minute?"

"Sure," Mr. Reid looked unsure of himself as he stepped in slowly and uneasily made his way over to the bed. He motioned to the edge of the bed, asking if he could sit, and Spencer nodded slightly.

William took a seat and looked at his hands when he said, "Spencer, I'm sorry."

"Huh?"

"I said I'm sorry."

"For what?"

William sighed and looked his son straight in the eyes, "For everything."

The response caught Spencer a bit off guard and he had no time to interject anything before his father continued.

"I loved your mother very, very much. I really did. But then she went off of her medication when she was pregnant with you and I just...I just remembered what made our marriage so damn hard. I was a coward. I wasn't able to man up and deal with the issues at hand. I didn't fulfill my vows I just...I just left. I left you and your grandmother to deal with things, and I regret that. I will for the rest of my life I think."

"Dad, I don't know what to say..."

William held up his hand and said, "Can I just? Finish..." he said slowly, "It's not just that. Ever since you moved in, I haven't known what to say to you or how to reach out to you. I've been a really rude host and an even worse father. And then..." he had to stop for a second to clear his throat and Spencer could tell he was on the verge of tears, "I said those things about that murder in DC. Those horrible, nasty things...and you probably felt like you couldn't tell me how you felt. I'm not really a homophobe."

"It kind of sounded like it dad," Spencer interjected honestly, hoping that William reacted with the same sorry feeling he had now.

"I know," William nodded and Spencer was relieved, "I don't know why I used those words. I really...have no problem with...being gay," he said slowly, as if he was trying to convince himself, "But you know I grew up in a time where no one accepted it. And my parents were very adamant about teaching me it was wrong. But...I want to try and learn to accept it. Accept you, my son, and all of your friends and my friends and peers who are gay and lesbian. I picked up some pamphlets at the hospital actually. For an organization called PFLAG?" he sounded unsure, as if he got the name wrong.

Spencer nodded, "Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays."

"Yeah. The pamphlet was really enlightening. I took two of them, I've only read through one. But I'm willing to take this step, for you."

Spencer felt a lump in his throat and he didn't know what to say, "Well...thank you, dad," he said softly, trying to stop the tears that were about to flow freely from his eyes. But when he looked up, he saw that his father-stern Mr. William Reid-was crying himself. Spencer smiled slightly and slowly shifted out from under the covers and made his way to sit next to his dad. William wrapped an arm around Spencer tentatively and the boy leaned into his father's touch. It was the first time they'd ever done anything resembling a hug, and while it wasn't as whole hearted as a hug from his mother, Spencer would take it. He and his father would work at their relationship, his dad just made that very clear.

"Now, I want to throw this out there, but I don't want you to get upset."

"Hmm?"

"I want you to press charges against those boys. They beat you because you're gay, that's a hate crime! In the 1990s there was a boy who was killed in Wyoming by two men, because he was gay. It's not okay! It's a violation to your civil rights!"

Spencer grinned proudly at his father, who had obviously been reading up on the history of LGBT rights in the country. He was referring to Matthew Shepard, one of the first gay hate crimes that showed America that they had to end homophobic violence, "I'll think about it dad."

"Spencer..."

"No, really dad. The school has to take care of it, because it happened on their property. Whatever happens to them after that, is up to us. And I think that what they're going to get from the school is enough. I'd guess expulsion for all four of them."

"It better be," William growled.

Spencer shrugged, "I'm not protecting them, because I will never do that, but I almost feel sorry for them. Ignorance is hard to change, ya know."

"Well I'm trying," William said partly a joke, partly serious.

"I know dad," Spencer nodded at him, "But that's because you're not too far gone."

"I guess you're right," his father nodded, and then gently ruffled his hair, "I'm proud of you kiddo. After all of the hurt and pain they put you through, you're not a sour person. You don't want to torture them like they deserve."

Spencer shrugged, "I guess I just don't see why I need to. The school is doing enough, and they won't mess with me again. I have nothing against them, they will learn from this. And if not, I hope someone else takes care of them later in life." He looked up to see his father studying him thoughtfully, "What?" he asked, wanting to squirm away from the stare.

"I'm just so proud of you Spencer. I feel like I don't tell you enough."

"You haven't told me at all," Spencer muttered and he could feel his ears turn pink at the honesty of the remark.

"Well I am, and I'm telling you now. I'm also telling you that, I love you so much," he leaned over and pressed a quick kiss to his son's temple and gave him a more proper, two-armed hug. He pulled away and cleared his throat, standing up and saying, "Well, I'm going to get some work done. Holler if you need anything?"

"I will dad," Spencer nodded with a smile.

When his father was gone, having gone down the stairs, Spencer laid back against his pillows and let out a sigh that he'd been holding in for a while now. It was as shaky as a sob, and it held many different emotions in it. It was as much of a sigh of relief as it was of worry and shame. It was happy, too, and content; he was feeling so much better after the chat with his dad.

While it was awkward, it was much needed. Spencer now looked at his dad in a different way. He was no longer just the man he had to live with, he was actually his dad now. He had shown the concern and care that his mother had, and while it wasn't at the same level as his mom, he knew that his dad was trying. This was new to the both of them. He had never had a father, and his father had never had a son. But they were going to work on this together.

And Spencer had a good feeling about it, too.

xxx

It was Spencer's last day confined to the house before returning to school. While he had been at home with his injuries, he had not fallen behind in any classes. JJ, Emily, Will and Penelope took turns dropping his homework, and any other materials he needed, from his teachers. He didn't receive too many detailed instructions, because he knew how to do all the calculus and physics, and finished the lit essay in less than three hours, but he blessed the hearts of the teachers who had tried for him.

Currently, the four said friends were lounging in his room; Penelope snuggled up with him on the bed, Will perched at the foot of the mattress, and JJ cuddling with Emily on the bean bag chair he'd acquired since falling in love with the one Derek had.

Derek, Spencer thought, who was not sitting in his room right now with what used to be "the gang." Derek, whom Spencer had not seen or heard from since he kicked him out of his hospital room, that dreaded day three weeks ago.

He had to give it to his friends, while he knew they had not broken their contact with the boy, they didn't bring him up at all around Spencer, and if they did, they quickly changed the subject as if nothing had happened. They understood how precarious the situation with the two was at the moment, and they didn't want to take sides. Spencer didn't expect them too either. They were all too mature for that—they were in twelfth grade, not sixth. He also knew that it would kill Penelope to try and choose which side deserved the support, it would kill her just thinking about it.

And Spencer, well, Spencer was not sure where he stood with Derek for the time being. It had been three weeks since he had seen him, and he really hadn't had time to process everything about the Derek situation. He had been too busy doing his homework, checking up with whichever friend paid the visit of the day and working on his relationship with his dad. He was still frustrated with him, he knew that for sure, but whether he should continue the cold shoulder or not, he wasn't sure of.

"So, from what we've heard from Mr. Hotchner," JJ was saying, "Trevor, Johnny, Dominik and Charlie are being expelled."

"They're what?" Spencer looked over at her, clearly breaking out of his space-out.

"They're being expelled," JJ repeated, "What're you thinking about over there mister?"

Spencer fidgeted with his hands, "Nothing..."

"Liar," Will said, not glancing up from the football magazine he was reading.

"Shut up Will," Spencer snapped and everyone else laughed, "What's so funny?" he demanded.

"You're so funny sometimes," Penelope tweaked his nose, "But you don't have to tell us what's on your mind. Your thoughts belong to you,"

"I'm just thinking about...ya know," Spencer looked around wistfully, clearly pointing out the missing person in the room.

"Oh sweetie," Emily said and reached out a hand, a comforting gesture that just didn't reach him from where she was.

"We understand that you're upset at him, we really do," JJ continued.

"But you should know, he's really torn up about this whole thing," Penelope ended with a sad shake of her head, "He beats himself up about it on a daily basis. He even risked suspension because he cornered the four guys in the hallway and threatened them, the day after it happened."

That hardly made Spencer feel better because he was still very upset with Derek. But somewhere deep down it made him smile, if only slightly, "Yeah, well..." he said, not finishing his sentence.

"I don't know about you little guy, but if the person I really cared about did that to me, I'd be upset but I wouldn't want to lose them completely," he looked pointedly at Penelope, whose ears turned bright pink and she looked away. Spencer knew that they were together now, after the months of his perusing her, but they were doing a terrible job at trying to keep it on the down low, "I would talk to him, just so all feelings are out there on the table, and you guys understand what the other is thinking."

Spencer considered this for a moment, "I guess that wouldn't hurt," he said slowly.

"It wouldn't at all!" Penelope exclaimed, "In fact it might even help, for when you guys are eventually ready to try again!"

"_If_ we're ready to try again," Spencer said sharply and Penelope rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah you're still playing that 'if' game, okay _if _you guys are ready to try again, then you will have a leg up on the matter if you just talk now."

"It's been three weeks, Spence," JJ mentioned like it was something he should care about.

"And?"

"And well, he's dying," Emily said softly, "It's killing him that you haven't even texted him."

Spencer looked at his iPhone on the end table next to his bed. He had gotten it back the day he returned from the hospital, because Derek had dropped his backpack off the night he had been taped to the goal post. He figured that the older boy had come to apologize, but when he was told Spencer wasn't home he just dropped the pack off and expected to apologize the next day.

"Maybe I should,"

"Yes! You should!"

"Penelope, you have no more say in this conversation," Spencer stuck his tongue out at her.

"Why? Just because I'm trying to save your epic gay love?" she pouted, throwing her hands up in the air exasperatedly.

"No, because you think that there is an epic gay love."

"But there is," Penelope insisted, "You're just in a tiff right now."

Spencer looked at his still-sprained wrist and tapped the splint, "Yeah because what happened can be described as 'a tiff,'"

Penelope let out a soft sound of resignation and sat quietly next to him. All of his friends were silent for a moment, letting the weight of the last sentence sink in. Finally JJ sat up and tugged on Emily's soft purple sweater, "Maybe we should go guys...it's getting late."

"Yeah," Will agreed, pulling out the keys to his truck. He had driven everyone over this afternoon, "We'll see you tomorrow, little dude," he reached over to pound fists with Spencer. Penelope gave him a tight squeeze and a reassuring pat on the head, and the couple gave him two kisses on the cheek.

"Bye guys, thanks for stopping by," Spencer waved them off, and when they were gone he sat there contemplating what they had said to him.

"_It's killing him..."_ ran through his mind, and, _"I would talk to him, just so all feelings are out there on the table, and you guys understand what the other is thinking..."_

Finally Spencer picked up his phone and sent a text.

_Can you be here in 5? I think we should talk. _


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: **

So, I began drafting this in my notebook after I posted chapter 18 today.

I didn't get very far though, so the majority of this chapter is hot off the press, straight from my brain.

I'm pretty tired, fyi.

So if it at any time in this chapter you find yourself asking, "uhhhh what?" or saying "this makes NO sense at all!"...now you know why.

I'm actually headed off to bed, I just wanted to get this up for y'all, since so many of you were getting frustrated with me for all the cliffies! I decided you were all so patient and deserved it.

Enjoy and goodnight!

~NxD

* * *

Spencer looked up from his copy of _Frankenstein _(a book he was reading for fun at the moment) when he heard the soft rap at his door. Derek was leaning in the doorway, his long legs slightly stretched out in front of him, as if he'd been relaxing there for a while. He was wearing a white V-neck and his red _Highlanders Football _sweatpants—a "lazy Sunday" outfit which Spencer had grown to appreciate...

But he wasn't interested in the sex appeal of it at the moment. The sight of Derek standing there like that reminded him too much of that day at the hospital, and the hot anger that had filled his body, causing him to want to actually _hurt_ Derek—hurt him in the way that the older boy had hurt _him_.

"Thanks for coming," Spencer said by way of greeting.

"Of course," Derek replied with a nod and motioned to the chair at the desk, "Should I sit?"

"Please,"

The business-casual feel of the conversation thus far, had Spencer on the verge of tears. Here was a person he had once greeted with soft caresses and lazy kisses, but now they exchanged words in the way that William Reid spoke to a client.

"How have you been?" Derek asked as he settled into the chair, turning it to face Spencer completely.

"I've been better," Spencer admitted, "But I've mended an awful lot, in a lesser time than the actual healing process. You see it should take around..." when he realized he was about to ramble off some random fact that he knew, he stopped. And he remained silent.

Derek waited for a few moments, probably hoping that Spencer would continue, like him old self. But Spencer, while he still obviously felt comfortable around Derek, wouldn't allow himself too. He was mad at Derek, and he had every damn right to be mad at Derek. And he was not going to just give into that knock-knees feeling Derek always seemed to trigger in him.

"How's the wrist?" he asked, clearly having hoped Spencer would have continued with his random burst of knowledge.

"It's much better; the splint should be off in a week."

Derek's face relaxed with the news, smoothing out his worry from his expression, "Good, I'm glad to hear that." They were both silent for several heart beats before the older boy started up again, "Look, Spencer..."

"Please," Spencer cut him off, "Let me go first?"

Derek shut his mouth instantly and nodded, waiting as Spencer took a few deep breaths. He was going to make an outline of a script before Derek arrived, but had decided last minute to wing it; he was going to let his feelings dictate where the conversation lead and what words he used to steer it.

"I understand that the Derek Morgan I saw that afternoon was not the Derek Morgan that I know."

He looked right into Derek's brown orbs when he said that, because even with all the anger he was feeling, he wanted Derek to know that _his _Derek was not the Derek that had hurt him. Derek broke the gaze first, clearly not able to handle the intensity of the words, with the shame he was feeling.

Spencer continued, "The Derek Morgan who screamed at me, called me horrible names, grabbed me and pushed me—no, _threw _me—down...that Derek Morgan was a costume the _real_ Derek put on for his 'friends.' And he only comes out when the real Derek is scared that his big gay secret will be revealed to his peers, and he will no longer be the ultimate teenage-heartthrob anymore."

"That's not what I'm afraid of!" Derek protested.

"Then what is it then?"

"I was looking out for us!"

"Really? Last time I checked, calling your boyfriend an 'emotional faggot' in front of a group of jocks _isn't_ 'protecting them.'" Clearly put out by Spencer's reply, Derek slumped back into the chair, his eyes trained on the floor.

"What I'm trying to say is: when the chips came down to it, the choices were protecting me or protecting yourself. And you chose you over me...over _us_. Over everything our relationship ever was. You broke my heart, Derek."

Spencer paused for a moment only to find Derek was crying. He wouldn't have known if he hadn't taken a minute to catch his breath, because the sniffling was so soft, but now he could tell without a doubt.

"Spencer," Derek said through a sob, "Spencer, I know. I _know _that I fucked up beyond repair. There hasn't been a day since that one at the hospital that I haven't beaten myself up over it. I betrayed you, and I ruined 'us.' And I wish...I _wish _I could say the right thing to make it better. But I can't. Because there's nothing I can say. I don't deserve you back, Spencer. I will never be worthy enough to have you in my arms again. But I can't lie: I hope that someday you will be mine again. "

This was the type of speech that always had Spencer rolling his eyes while watching soap operas and chick flicks with Maria. It was the type of speech that the guy used to win over the girl in the end, and always had Spencer sighing, dissatisfied that the girl hadn't just punched the guy in the face and walked off into the sunset alone.

In this moment now, he understood why the girl always ended up taking the guy back. _Pretty in Pink; eat your heart out, _Spencer thought as he took in the sincerity of Derek's words. He closed his eyes, took several steady breaths and centered himself before he looked back at his former lover.

"Until you can prove to me that you can be the _real_ Derek Morgan—the Derek that has no shame and would never hide behind a mask...hide who he _truly_ is—we are remaining friends," Spencer took a moment to glance up and see Derek's expression. It was a mix of bewilderment, shock and pure, utter joy. He smirked to himself before carrying on, "If you can prove to me though, that I fell in love with the right man, then we can discuss a relationship again."

Derek's mouth opened and closed several times before he let out a frustrated noise, "I...I don't know what to say right now Spencer. You've made me the happiest man alive right now. I will do anything to prove to you that I can be the guy you thought I was."

"I look forward to it," Spencer smiled fondly. Then he stood up and walked over to where Derek was sitting. The taller boy stood up, towering over Spencer as he took a step forward and wrapped his arms around him. It was a brief hug, and Spencer was relieved that very, _very _strong arms held him close, even if it was for just a moment.

They broke apart and stepped away from each other awkwardly, "Well then, I should get to bed."

"Yeah, yeah okay," Derek nodded, "Well, I'm glad we got to talk...I'll uh, I'll see you tomorrow...goodnight?"

"Goodnight Derek," Spencer smiled sweetly, "I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow!" Derek said, excitement totally evident, if it was rather weak. He smiled to himself, leaning in the doorway, as he listened to Derek leaving. He heard his dad exchanging a few words with him at the front door, before it was being shut, and he could here Derek's footsteps as they crunched down the gravel driveway.

And he definitely heard when Derek had jumped for joy, a soft shout of 'Yippee!' still ringing in Spencer's ears.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N:** Woohoo! Finally the day has come!

Welcome chapter 20!

This is a monumental day in the history of this story...how many of you were thinking "damn, is she ever going to make it to 10 chapters?" back when I hardly updated at all?

Anyway, here it is...more Spencer drama about Derek. Ya know, typical high school love stuff

Enjoy my lovelies.

~NxD

P.S. Since this is a special chapter, I am asking for as many reviews as I can get from all of you amazing readers and fans!

P.P.S. I really like the new signature. The short version of my username...not that y'all care or anything. I was just saying.

* * *

"What do you think about this?"

Spencer glanced over from the wall of buttons that he was looking at, to see Penelope holding up a bright pink tee shirt that said _Sorry Ladies, I'm Straight _on it. Spencer laughed at the absurdity of it, "I think that it's perfect for Will."

The friends were currently shopping at a store called _Spencer's _, of all names in the world. This was the first time Spencer had been to the mall called Tyson's, and he could understand why there was so much talk about it. It was huge, nothing like the small stores he was used to going to around McLean and even Falls Church, when he and his dad took a trip out there. He was still trying to decide if he liked this place or not; Spencer was not one for huge places and huge crowds.

Christmas was in a few short days, and the friends had explained to their newest companion that, every year since eighth grade, they did a Secret Santa drawing and on Christmas Eve had a small get-together to reveal their gifts to one another. That's why Spencer found himself standing in the dimly lit shop, searching for the perfect gift for JJ.

He had been relieved, when he drew her name from the coffee can Penelope had passed around at lunch. It wasn't that he didn't want to draw Derek's name, they were doing okay since their chat the previous week. They spoke to one another, and interacted with each other, the way that they had before they began their relationship. Derek still gave him rides to school, and from school when he didn't have to go straight to basketball practice. They still sat next to each other in calculus and at lunch. Their conversation were no different except for the lack of flirty teasing and terms of endearment.

They were friends, and friends only.

"Yeah, I think he'll love it!" Penelope was coming over to him and he realized he had let his thoughts get the best of him for the moment, "But I need to stop shopping for my boyfriend, for the time being." Penelope had drawn Emily's name from the can, and so she and Spencer had decided they'd do their shopping together, to get the couple the perfect present.

When they first entered the store, Penelope had ran straight to the wall of sex toys and picked up a bright pink vibrator, "We could go in halfsies for this!" she had exclaimed with a shit-eating grin on her face while Spencer turned as pink as the toy, "What do you think, Spencer? They'd love it! They'd use it all the time!"

"You're trying to embarrass me, aren't you?" he had said in a low tone, as threateningly as he could.

"Oh no! Am I that easy to read?" Penelope wailed in mock sorrow.

She had put it back though, after Spencer threatened the life of her favorite stuffed unicorn—the one that Will had given to her when he finally showed up at her doorstep and literally begged for her to go on a date with him. Spencer hadn't been there for the moment, but Emily and JJ had, and they said it was probably the cutest thing they'd ever seen.

Now they were looking for something matching for them. The good thing about Spencer's, was it was one of those weird stores, the type of store that had no shame in what they sold and advertised weed and drinking and sex all over the place. Finding something for two lesbians was no problem here.

"I like this one for them," Spencer said holding out a button with a pink background and white words in a script font that said _Thanks, My Girlfriend Likes Them Too _on it.

Penelope studied it and laughed, "Perfect for them! Are there two?"

"Yep," Spencer pulled a second one down.

"Great!" Penelope smiled, "These will go great with the shirts I found," she held up one of them and Spencer smiled at the screen print. It was a cartoon woman—a spoof of a 1950s housewife ad, all excited expressions and smiles—and the words _Sorry! I don't do guys! _

"Amazing," Spencer grinned, "They're going to love these."

"I know right? We are too amazing," Penelope gave him a high five.

They bought one shirt and one pin each, and then left the store with their bags in hand. Penelope had also gotten the tee shirt for Will, and was now going on about how excited she was to give it to him. Spencer smiled and listened to his friend as she spoke, feeling a slight ache in his chest. He wished that he still had Derek in the way that Penelope had Will.

They got lunch at Wasabi, the amazing Japanese restaurant that was literally in the middle of the mall, where there was a conveyor belt of sushi constantly moving and showing off the many delicious selections. Spencer grabbed a California roll container while Penelope chose something that looked extremely weird—perfect for her style. Penelope chattered on about Will and Spencer talked about how obnoxious studying for midterms was, and they both complained about Ms. Strauss and their other teachers. Spencer would have normally had many grievances about his government class, but the school had taken action after his attack, and the four boys were indeed expelled. Since then, government had been much quieter, and they had more insightful, meaningful class discussions without any bigotry.

When they finished they left the mall and returned to McLean. Pulling up to Spencer's house, he turned to Penelope and asked, "Wanna stay for a bit? We can wrap these up and hang out for a little bit?"

"Definitely my love," Penelope smiled, pulling up next to his dad's car and putting her own in park. They retrieved their gifts and entered through the office door, where William was working away at his computer.

"Hey dad," Spencer greeted as he closed the door behind Penelope.

"Hi Mr. Reid!" she said, as bubbly as always.

"Hey kids," William looked up from his screen and at Penelope, "Penelope, how many times do I have to tell you! Call me William or Will or dad for all I care, just not Mr. Reid! I always look for my father when you say it."

Penelope laughed, "Okay, okay! I will try to not address you in the polite way that I should."

"Thank you!" William laughed and then he looked at his son, "Did you guys have a nice time looking for gifts?"

"Yeah we did," he nodded and held up his bag, "We found the perfect things for them."

"Can I see?"

Spencer had to give it to his dad, this was only his second week trying to be the father he should be, and he was more invested and interested in Spencer's life than he'd expected. He wasn't nosy or overprotective, questioning him about every little thing he did, but he was more concerned than he had been before. He was truly showing the love he had professed that day they talked, and Spencer had no doubts that he was faking it. "Sure," he smiled pulling out the tee shirt and the button, "Penelope got Emily the same thing."

"Okay, and Emily is the girl who's dating JJ?" William asked, as if trying to put together the puzzle of his friendships.

"Yep,"

"Alright, I see now. Those look great for them! Nice selections," William smiled, "I think Maria left some boxes and wrapping paper on the table for you, if you were going to wrap them up."

"We were," Penelope nodded, "Thanks Mr. Reid—I mean, William."

"Have fun you guys," William waved as they walked from the office into the main room where the TV was playing CNN and there was indeed a pile of wrapping supplies on the table. Spencer and Penelope set up shop, and began the process of preparing the gifts. Naturally they chatted about anything and everything they could think about, and after a while Spencer had to ask what was on his mind.

"Hey Pen,"

"Yeah babycakes?"

"Do you think I did the right thing with Derek?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, her hands stilling as she looked at him with an unreadable expression.

"I mean, do you think I did the right thing...letting him believe there's another shot for us, if he can prove himself?"

"Well, did you mean it when you told him there might be a chance you two can try again?"

Spencer considered this for a minute, "I don't know," he said finally.

"You don't know what?"

He hated when she did this to him. She threw his questions right back at him, making him think deeper than he had before, to find the answer had been inside him the whole time, "I don't know if I like this whole friend thing...I want to have him again, in the way I had him before...but I'm still really, really hurt after everything."

"Which is understandable honey, you know that right?" Penelope reached across the table and took his hand in hers, "You are already showing that you have more strength than other people, just by offering him another chance. If Will ever did that to me, he'd be out of my life forever."

"I guess..." Spencer shrugged, "I just don't think he deserved that harsh of a punishment, because I knew that he was just as scared as I was when the boys targeted us."

"But you didn't like that he chose to target you as well, rather than stand up for the both of you."

"Exactly."

"Well, if you're looking for my advice babe, I'm going to have to tell you to just follow your heart."

"Naturally," Spencer only slightly rolled his eyes.

"It's true though," she said pointedly, "Your mind is as much of a burden as it is a blessing. It helps you decide things, but it is totally as unpredictable as people are. It changes more than Katy Perry changes clothes!"

"Or you," he laughed.

"Yes, or me," Penelope waved the comment off with her free hand, "The point is, you can't try to make up your mind with this situation. You need to let your instincts lead you."

"That's all?"

"That's all," she nodded.

"Ugh, why do these teenage years have to be so difficult? I make a huge life decision at least once a day."

"It just feels like that," Penelope shrugged, going back to her wrapping, "When you're a teenager everything seems like the end of the world...you just have to decide whether to make mountains out of mole hills or not."

"I guess you're right," Spencer sat there pondering her words. He wasn't sure what to do from here. His mind was telling him to blow off everything Penelope had just said to him, probably because she had bashed it by calling it unpredictable, and relating it to Katy Perry. But his heart...he wasn't sure what his heart was feeling.

He decided he just needed to sit and wait for it to kick into gear.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: **okay! so this is kind of a filler chapter that focuses on Spencer and Mr. Rossi's friendship. i had wanted to focus on it a lot more when i first began writing the story, but i kind of put it off. this chapter though is dedicated solely to it though, so i don't feel bad about not even mentioning it once.

okayyy so, enjoy! it's a tad rushed, but i'm going to bed!

~NxD

* * *

"Alright kiddo, time to wrap it up here," Mr. Rossi said as he stepped into his classroom. Spencer was sitting at his desk hunched over a stack of papers. The red pen in his hand moved quickly across the pages in front of him and he bobbed his head to the beat of whatever song he was listening to, not that Mr. Rossi could tell. When Spencer realized he was not alone in the room, he took an ear-bud out and looked up.

"Hmm?" he asked Mr. Rossi, clearly missing his remark the first time.

"I said, time to wrap it up," the teacher repeated himself, walking around the desk to survey his student's work, "How far did you get today?"

Spencer held up two manila folders, "I got all of the tests from second and fourth period done. I'm working on our class right now."

"Well you can do that tomorrow; it's time to get going."

Spencer set the pen down and put the tests back into the folder they had come from. He handed the folder to Mr. Rossi and stood up to stretch and grab his messenger bag.

Since his return to school Spencer had been sort of an assistant to Mr. Rossi. He felt safe around his calculus teacher and had personally asked if he could spend the afternoons with him in his classroom, grading papers or just sitting quietly. Mr. Rossi had been more than happy to let Spencer work in his room, but he was the basketball coach, and had made it clear that he would only be around for maybe fifteen minutes before he had to get to practice. Spencer had been okay with that though. He was just looking for a safe place to be until Derek was done and could give him a ride home, just in case there were vengeful friends, of the four guys who beat him up, lurking around.

"Spencer," Mr. Rossi began after a moment of silence, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure," Spencer answered slowly, "Did I do something wrong?"

The loud laugh that Mr. Rossi let out was startling, "You? Do something wrong? Quite the opposite, actually."

"Oh," Spencer felt almost silly for asking, but was relieved to find that he was not being yelled at for anything.

"I wanted to ask you how you're doing," Mr. Rossi continued, "Let me disclaim myself now: I mean everything I'm about to say completely platonically, there's no need to feel uncomfortable. But, I've been thinking about you since the day we found you taped to the goal post. That was true torture that those boys put you through, and I've been wondering how you've been holding up. I wanted to ask you right away but, I thought I'd give you some time."

Spencer was touched at Mr. Rossi's concern. He had liked the teacher since the first day of school, when he found Spencer puking in the bathroom, and had taken him back to his classroom so he could calm down in a quiet place. He shifted his weight from one knee to the other and said, "I'm not sure how I'm doing, to be honest."

"It's a lot to come to terms with, Spencer."

"They beat the crap out of me...that's not hard to understand."

"That's not what I meant," Mr. Rossi shook his head, "There's lots of 'why' questions you must have, lots of things you wish you could grasp, but just can't."

Spencer thought about this for a moment before nodding, "There is, actually."

"Anything you want to talk about? You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to, but I think you should know that whatever you're thinking and feeling is perfectly normal, and I will never every betray your trust if you choose to confide in me."

Spencer slumped against the wall behind him and looked at Mr. Rossi who had taken a seat on the corner of the desk, "I want to know why they wanted to hurt me so badly, for starters."

"Probably the most common thought of them all is 'why me?'"

"I just don't know why they hate me so much," Spencer shook his head, but then let out a bitter laugh, "Actually, I know why. It's because I'm gay. And they saw me and Derek alone together in the hallway...they..." Spencer began but stopped at the hurtful memory of Derek's reaction.

"Hey kiddo, you're doing great," Mr. Rossi said soothingly, "So, they thought that you and Derek were doing something funny together in the hallway, so they picked on you? That's ridiculous. You've probably heard this before Spencer, but don't let the fact that someone targeted you, because of your sexual orientation, make you hide who you are. Being gay, bisexual, lesbian or transgender is not a gross, disgusting thing. It's quiet a beautiful thing, to be honest, and more people than you know are part of the LGBT community."

"You?" Spencer asked.

Mr. Rossi nodded with a slight quirk of his lips, "Don't tell anybody, but the rumors are true about me and Mr. Hotchner," he winked. Spencer grinned.

"Do you two keep your relationship secret from your coworkers?" Spencer asked.

"No, not at all, we have so much support from the majority of the faculty here. Sure, there are the few who take their Bibles too seriously, but for the most part they are cordial. We obviously keep it from the students though."

"Well yeah," Spencer laughed and then thought for a moment, "Can I ask you a question now?"

"Of course,"

Spencer took a deep breath before he went on. He told Mr. Rossi everything: about his father, about moving to Virginia, about meeting Derek and their short lived relationship. He talked about the small arguments that they'd had prior to the one they'd had in the hall that day, and he told Mr. Rossi about how Derek had reacted to the boys harassing them. He never really asked a specific in general; he just rambled off his life story to his calculus teacher, but each section had the underlying question of 'why?'

When he finished he looked up at the patient teacher, who looked as concerned and judgment-free as he had before Spencer began. Mr. Rossi gave a soft smile and said, "Wow Spencer. I'm really glad you felt like you could tell me that," he stood up from his perch on the desk and walked over to one of the shelves in the back of the room. He returned with something concealed in his hand.

"I can't give you the answers Spencer. That's another thing I should have put in my disclaimer. I don't know why shitty things happen to great people. I don't know why you've been dealt the hand you're holding. What I do know though, is that someday the answers will be revealed to you, whether you like them or not," he opened his hand to show Spencer what he was holding. It was a button, bigger than the ones that he and Penelope had gotten for JJ and Emily, with bright red words on a crisp white background:

_Lead with your actions._

_Follow your heart. _

He placed the cold metal in Spencer's hand, "Keep it, I want you to have it. Put it somewhere where you'll see it every day. If you follow the advice, I know that someday you'll have all the answers you've been looking for."

Spencer was touched by the gesture, "Thanks Mr. Rossi," he said, his throat tightening slightly.

"I think your ride has come to retrieve you," Mr. Rossi said as the approaching footsteps that could be heard down the hall turned out to be Derek, "I'll see you tomorrow."

Derek stood in the doorway, "Hey Mr. Rossi...Spencer you ready to go?"

Spencer nodded and walked over to Derek. He looked back once at the math teacher, trying to show with his eyes just how appreciative he was. The smile on Mr. Rossi's lips made him believe that he understood perfectly.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N:**

So! Here we are again! I'm doing yet another A/N at the beginning because I need to give you a few **warnings**.

This chapter has mentions of underage drinking. Nothing like a rager though, just close friends having some eggnog together. Still, it's drinking, and I need to disclaim it.

Also, Spencer is 16 now in the story. This means he's technically able to consent in some states. But for the norm, it's underage. So. There's some underage funny business going on. Nothing too explicit though, because this is rated T.

AND! I'd like to take this moment to shout out to MyIvoryTower, who has graciously taken on the task of beta'ing this story! YAY! CLAPS FOR MYIVORYTOWER! She's polishing up my mistakes and making Faces in the Hall a error-free, easy read story(: THANKS AGAIN!

Okay! Enjoy!

~NxD

* * *

This time around the Secret Santa party was being thrown at Emily's understatement of the word 'house.'

Spencer thought he'd seen an enormous house when he went to Derek's for the first time, but it was nothing compared to the home he was standing in front of now. _Ambassador _Elizabeth Prentiss and her family lived on a private way with three other homes; if Spencer remembered correctly, a diplomat in one and Justice Sonia Sotomayor in the other.

It was also being held a day earlier than normal. You see, the friends weren't the partying type, but the ambassador and her husband were out for the night at a Christmas party, and they just happened to leave their eggnog in the fridge. So they switched the normal Christmas Eve powwow to a night of fun together.

Spencer was currently feeling very merry after glass three, and was smushed right in between Derek and Penelope on the couch as they played their videogame. He didn't understand what was happening, except that aliens were attacking, and the two had to shoot them.

He glanced over and looked at Will who was sitting in the la-z-boy, watching Penelope like she was the only thing in the room. Then his eyes flicked over to the kitchen, where the other couple had escaped to a while ago, to see that JJ was sitting on the counter, with Emily standing right in front of her...

Spencer blushed at the realization of what they were doing, and he looked at his hands. He could feel the memory of Derek's lips on his, a slight tingle that made him reach up and rub at them. When he raised his head again he was met with Derek's steady, unreadable gaze, and he lowered his head again, the pink blush now deep red.

He zoned in and out for a while, catching bits and pieces of conversations between the friends and he realized the videogames had been turned off. Christmas TV specials were playing in the background, and glasses of eggnog were being refilled. Spencer hardly realized that almost an hour had gone by, when Will tapped his shoulder and said, "Hey little buddy, it's time for the gift exchange!"

The six of them sat down in a circle on the floor, with their gifts in front of them. Since Emily was host, she made the official speech before the unwrapping.

"Four years ago, we were five kids stuck in the same freshman homeroom, scared out of our minds to be in high school," she began, looking around the circle, "Do you remember how we bonded that first day? We had a conversation about comic books and superheroes. Five kids, who were completely different, became friends over the most unexpected thing. We got to know each other that year and we got to know ourselves. Every year we faced new challenges and had new adventures—which, may I say, became more interesting once we learned to drive. Every year we had new triumphs to share and new tragedies to mourn. We laughed together, we cried together, we got angry at each other, but we always made up. We found love together," Emily squeezed JJ's hand and they grinned at one another like lovesick idiots, "and we found a new friend this year.

Spencer, I think I speak for everyone when I say: I couldn't be happier to have someone as great as you in my life. I'm so glad that you ended up sitting with us at lunch on your first day, because now you're here with us now four months later. And you'll be stuck with us for the rest of your life, just so you know. That goes for all of you. We haven't mentioned this very much, all six of us, but this is our last year of high school. Next year we're all going to be in different places. No matter where we go, what we do, who we meet, what we become...just know that you'll always be my best friends."

Emily stopped there, though she had more to say. Her voice raised a few octaves though, and Spencer knew she was preventing herself from crying. They took a few moments to each say a few words afterwards and all attempts at crying were thrown out the window. It was an emotional moment that had them all in a huge group hug. After they recovered, they sat back in their formation, ready to hand out their presents.

Derek went first.

"This year, I got a present for..." he picked up the box wrapped in plain brown paper, "Baby girl!" laughing, he ripped the brown paper away to reveal the wrapping paper was actually sparkly and pink.

"Oh Mr. Morgan, you know me too well!" she got up and ran over to him, bending down to press a kiss to his forehead and taking the gift out of his hands, "What could it be?"

Quickly ripping off the paper she revealed that Derek had gotten her a scrapbooking set: rainbow cardstock, a giant book of over a thousand different stickers, a pack of photo paper, glitter and ribbons, glue and of course a giant, pink scrapbook. She squealed and gave him a big kiss on the lips, thanking him over and over again. Will laughed and said, "Thanks Derek, now my girlfriend will have no more time for me!"

"Don't say that," Penelope said to Will, "There's a tiger in this girl that can't be ignored."

JJ, Emily and Derek wolf-whistled as they shared a kiss and Spencer laughed, hiding his face in his hands and saying, "Get a room!"

Spencer and Penelope went next, sharing their carefully selected present which was received with lots of laughing and JJ repeating, "I love it so much!"

The rest of the unwrapping was fun. Derek received the _Hunger Games_ series from JJ and Emily gave Will the Bourne trilogy box set. Of course the gifts were adored by the boys, and the girls had to practically pry them out of their hands when Will tried to watch them and Derek began to read. Last but not least, Will was Spencer's Santa, and he gave Spencer two wrapped items. One was a bulky thing that looked like it was supposed to be a box and the other was the strangest shape he had ever laid eyes on. He decided to open the bigger of the two first, the one that almost resembled a tissue box. Inside he found three books: _Out of the Pocket_, _The Road Home_ and _Collision Course_. Spencer glanced at the back of each one and decided he was excited to read all three of them, and not just because they were gay romance novels. He thanked Will for the books before picking up the stranger present. It was soft in his hands and slightly squishy too. Slowly he pulled the paper away to find that it was a stuffed llama.

"A llama?" he asked.

"Penelope said it reminded her of you," Will shrugged, "I had to get it."

"I remind you of a llama?" Spencer looked at Penelope and made a face.

"Because you're tall and gangly and adorably cute like a llama," Penelope pinched his cheek and then kissed his forehead, "Not because you're a mean animal that spits at people when they get mad." Spencer tried to keep his brooding face on, but couldn't as everyone passed the llama around, 'awwwwwwwwwww'ing at it and then at Spencer.

When they cleaned up their mess afterwards, Spencer caught Derek's gaze for a moment and the younger boy could see the tiniest ember of the flame that used to burn in his eyes, when they were dating. It sent a rush of heat to the pit of his stomach. He instantly turned away and stumbled off to pick up an invisible bow across the room.

Then the eggnog returned and the fun was back on. The Prentisses would not be home tonight, so the fact that it was almost eleven thirty did nothing to their merriness.

While they were unwrapping gifts, the drunkenness Spencer had felt earlier simmered down to a buzz in the back of his mind that he hardly noticed. Upon taking the first sip from the cup JJ handed him though, it came rushing back, hitting him like a train, and by twelve thirty he was feeling very, very drunk.

The friends were stretched out on the couches by then, watching late night TV and hardly speaking. Penelope was curled up next to Derek on one end of the couch, her arm looped in his, and Will lying down across the other half, his head in her lap as she idly stroked his hair. Emily draped herself over the love seat and JJ settled on top of her, her head resting on Emily's chest, and Emily's arms around her waist. Spencer was sitting in the la-z-boy though, awkwardly alone but wishing he could curl up against hard muscle and soft, brown skin...

The sound of someone in the kitchen made him look up and he saw that Penelope and Will were now intertwined on the couch, while JJ and Emily were nowhere to be seen.

Spencer pushed himself up and out of the chair and only stumbled a little bit before he pulled himself together and tiptoed over to the kitchen.

As he figured, Derek was the one making the noise in the kitchen. He was clamoring around in the fridge looking for something. When he turned around, he held a bottle of water. He also realized that Spencer was right behind him, leaning against the counter.

"Holy fuck Spencer! You scared me you, you little shit!" he exclaimed, clearly having to catch his breath to slow his heart rate down.

"Sorry," Spencer muttered apologetically and looked at the bottle of water in Derek's hands.

"Uh..." Derek said after a silent moment, finally recovered from the surprise, "Do you want one?"

"Sure," Spencer nodded and Derek turned to the fridge, pulling out another bottle. Spencer watched approvingly as Derek bent over, reaching into the florescent glow for the water. He liked the curve of his back, imagined running his fingers along it, wished he could reach out and touch him...he blinked quickly and looked away.

When he brought his head back a moment later, the bright light was gone and only the dim glow from the den lit the room. From where Derek leaned against the counter across from him, Spencer could hardly make out his expressions because of the shadows that fell across his face.

Derek handed him the bottle and Spencer leaned in slightly to take it, intentionally brushing his fingertips along the warm, callused palm. Derek let out a small gasp, trying to take Spencer's hand, but the younger boy was quick and slipped the bottle away before he could. He settled back against the counter and uncapped the water, taking a long refreshing sip. He tried to make gulping down half the bottle look as sexy as he could, but given his ratio of sexiness and awkwardness, he figured he wasn't having success.

Derek however was telling a different story, when Spencer glanced at him once capping the bottle again. Derek swallowed hard and Spencer could just see the bob of his Adam's apple. It sent that rush of heat to his stomach again. He trained his eyes on the expanse of Derek's lean, smooth throat and licked his lips.

"Spencer..." Derek whined, his voice sounding pained—absolutely wounded—just like his voice had when Derek was looming over him in the hallway that day. The slight sadist in Spencer found it hot to have the larger man at his mercy; he couldn't control himself anymore. He stepped forward and put his hands on Derek's waist, standing on his tiptoes and pressing his trembling lips to Derek's warm ones. Derek didn't open his mouth to the gesture and Spencer growled, clearly frustrated.

"Why won't you kiss me back?" he demanded.

"It's not a good idea," Derek replied trying to sound as authoritative as he could, but failed miserably.

"I don't think so," Spencer retorted.

"Well you're sixteen years old and drunk for the first time. You can't make decisions right now."

"I have the mind of a thirty year old,"

"But you're still just a kid."

Spencer glared up at Derek, aiming for a menacing look but actually just meeting Derek's vacant expression. Spencer leaned in again on an impulse and pressed his lips to Derek's again. For a long moment there was no response from the older boy, not even the slightest twitch, and Spencer was about to pull back again when Derek put his hand on the small of his back, sweeping him into an embrace as their tongues met eagerly.

Derek had Spencer sitting on the counter in less than a minute, his back against the cherry cabinets and Derek's leg in between his thighs and his lips on his neck. He let out a surprised yelp when Derek began to pop open the buttons of his Christmas sweater vest, running his hand down the exposed, pale skin with one hand, and rubbing at his crotch through his trousers with the other.

"I...uh..." Spencer gasped quietly and crazily, "Let's...stop...bathroom? Bedroom? Closet?"

"Bedroom," Derek sighed into his mouth, "Upstairs, come on,"


	23. Chapter 23

When Spencer woke up the next morning, his body ached in a pleasing way, reminding him of the things he and Derek were up to last night. The most prominent pain was the slow throb deep within him that he couldn't touch, couldn't mend and make it feel better. The only thing he could do was feel it, with a huge grin spread across his lips, and let it go away on its own.

The sun shone through the blinds, streaming across his face and body, and he rolled over in the warmth to greet the boy who had been lying next to him all night. Instead of finding Derek though, he found rumpled sheets and tears began to form in his eyes. They had spent such an intimate night together only for Derek to run off in the morning. He couldn't believe it.

"Spencer?"

Derek pushed the door open and slipped back into the room. Spencer quickly wiped his eyes and couldn't stop the enormous smile, "Hi!" he said sitting up and looking at Derek, "Hi..."

"Are you crying?" the older boy asked. He was clad only in his boxers and he took three long strides to get to the bed where he flopped down on his beautifully sculpted chest and stomach. He reached out tentatively and swiped at a tear that had made it halfway down Spencer's flushed cheek.

"No!"

"Yes," Derek said with a soft, sad smile, "Did you think that I left you?"

"Yes," Spencer admitted, looking at his hands, "I woke up and you weren't there."

"I know I can be a bastard," Derek said earnestly, "But I'm not _that _horrible." Spencer nodded because he didn't think he could speak with the rising lump in his throat. Derek reached out and put his strong, warm hand over both of Spencer's fidgeting ones, "Hey, Spencer, look at me," he said softly but assertively and Spencer looked up into his brown eyes, "I don't regret anything we did last night, nothing at all. Do you?"

"No," Spencer croaked.

"I am so touched that you let me be the one to take you, Spencer. I will treasure this moment for the rest of my life."

Spencer smiled, "You will?"

Derek nodded, "I will."

"So will I," Spencer blushed at his words, "I've wanted you to be my first since I laid eyes on you."

"That first day in calculus?"

"As soon as you stepped through the door, I was gone."

"You're so cute," Derek laughed and reached out to pinch Spencer's cheek. When the younger boy batted his hands away, Derek settled on giving one of his nipples a big squeeze, laughing at the squeal that escaped Spencer's lips.

"You are such a dirty player!" Spencer accused, getting riled up.

"What're you gonna do about it, hmm?" Derek challenged with a seductive tone and knowing eyes.

"I'll figure something out," Spencer muttered, knowing that if he tried to get Derek back, the older boy would have him pinned before he could say 'oh shoot.'

"I'm shaking in my boots,"

"I won't put out for a month," Spencer finally decided on.

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Try me, big boy."

"Oh you little tease!" Derek was suddenly on top of Spencer, straddling his torso, his knees on either side of the bed next to him, "I should have known you'd use your sexiness against me someday."

"I wasn't trying to?" Spencer admitted honestly, "I didn't think that emaciated weirdos who look like Muppets would turn you on so much."

"Not just any emaciated weirdo," Derek said lowering his face, "Just this one weirdo, who doesn't look anything like a Muppet in my mind," he grinned, his mouth only a few inches from Spencer's and the younger boy couldn't take it, he arched his back to press his lips to Derek's.

The kiss was tender yet passionate and Spencer could feel his body turning into jelly under Derek's brawny being. He decided that, if no one else had a problem with it, he could stay like this all day: lying under Derek as the older boy had his way with him...again.

"Oh wow,"

"Yep, just what I didn't want to see this morning,"

Derek pulled away from Spencer's lips and put his forehead on the younger boy's before he said, "JJ, Emily, I could kill you right now. I really could."

"Hey buddy, you're the one who chose to do the dirty in my guest room," Emily said, "I can stand here if I want."

"But, we don't want to," JJ said quickly, "Emily's just tired, don't mind her, anyway we just wanted to say good morning! And...well...we're going to make breakfast. You should, ya know, join us...if you're not too busy...at the moment."

"We'll think about it," Derek said, "Thanks ladies,"

"Have fun," Emily said in a tone that left nothing to the imagination and Spencer turned bright pink. After the door shut behind the girls, Derek rolled off of the smaller boy and he hid his face in a pillow.

"So. Embarrassing."

"I know," Spencer agreed, curling up along side Derek's outstretched body, "I bet they're going to tell Penelope and Will right now."

"Oh, without a doubt,"

They stayed like that on the bed for a few moment, Spencer letting his fingers dance along the expanse of Derek's smooth skin that covered hard muscle. Derek wrapped his arm around Spencer's waist and held him close.

"So," Derek finally piped up.

"I want to try again."

"Huh?"

Spencer felt a little embarrassed at how he blurted the statement out, but he repeated himself, "I want to try again...I want to try a relationship again."

"Oh Spencer, I—,"

"Listen, Derek, I know you fucked up. And you know you fucked up," Spencer said, because they both knew those were the facts, he wasn't going to sugar coat anything, "But I know you're sorry. And you know that you're sorry. We both know that if we could go back to that day in the hallway, that you'd do things so much differently. But the fact of the matter is, you can't go back and fix that mistake. So, we have to keep going forward. I'm ready to move on from that incident and try again with you."

"I've been waiting to hear that for weeks now," Derek said, "I've been trying to show you that I can be the guy you always thought I was."

"I know that you have been," Spencer nodded, "And I know that you are. I was just too hurt to look at things from your side. I understand that you thought you were doing the right thing at the time. So if we both understand where the other is coming from, there's no reason why we can't just keep moving forward, right?"

"I don't believe there is," Derek grinned.

Spencer was going in for a kiss when he heard his phone going off in his pants pocket, "Really?"

"Today's just not our day for private time, is it?" Derek huffed out a laugh as he released Spencer to go retrieve his phone. The smaller boy got up and disentangled himself from the sheets that had been covering him up. He was butt naked and slightly embarrassed as he ran from the bed to the pile of clothes by the door, despite Derek's noises of approval.

"Guess not," Spencer said and slipped the black iPhone out of the pants. It was his dad calling, "Hello?"

"Hey Spencer," William said in an unreadable tone, "I need you home soon, could Derek give you a ride? If not I can come get you,"

Panic quickly settled into Spencer's stomach and he looked at Derek with wide eyes before saying, "No, no I'm sure Derek can give me a ride home."

Derek was up and getting dressed after seeing the worry in Spencer's eyes and he said, "We'll leave in five minutes."

"We'll leave in five minutes dad,"

"Great. See you soon,"

"Bye.." Spencer hung up the phone and picked up his boxers, slipping them on.

"Spencer, what's wrong?" Derek asked.

"I don't know," Spencer shrugged, "Honestly I don't." He had a few ideas as to what could be wrong, and none of them were scenarios he hoped would be the truth.

The boys managed to make a quick escape from the rest of the group, explaining that Spencer needed to get home as soon as possible, and they made it back to the Reid household in a record time, only breaking about two laws. When they pulled into the gravel driveway Derek asked Spencer if he wanted him to come inside with him, but the younger boy shook his head, promising that he would call and give Derek the full story once he was done talking to his dad. He sealed the promise with a kiss...or five...before he got out and went inside.

William was sitting in his office at his desk, typing away on his laptop per usual. Spencer shut the door behind him quietly and said, "Hey dad."

"Spencer! You're home, great!"

"Yeah...is everything alright?"

"Of course," William nodded, "Did you have a fun time last night?"

"Yeah, it was great."

"Good!"

There was an awkward silence in the air, almost like when Spencer had first moved into the house, "Sit, sit!" William suddenly exclaimed, pulling out one of the comfy chairs clients sat in when William was buttering them up for a business deal. Spencer plopped down into it and looked expectantly at his father.

"So Spencer," William began, "I was thinking about what to get you for Christmas this year. Since we've just really begun to get to know each other, I wasn't sure if I'd get you something you'd really like or not. So I thought and thought about it...and I finally figured out what you'd like."

"Uh dad, Christmas is tomorrow," Spencer said slowly, "Don't you want to give this to me tomorrow?"

"No, because it's for today!"

"Okay," Spencer was still so lost.

"For Christmas this year I got you a plane ticket."

"A plane ticket?"

"Actually I got two. One for you, one for me," he picked something up off his desk and handed it to Spencer. The boy looked at the boarding passes that his father had handed him and his heart stopped for a moment.

_Southwest Airlines_

_Flight 2123_

_Baltimore, BMI to McCarran Intl, LAS. _

Spencer didn't know what to say. This was the most amazing gift anyone had ever given him. "Dad..."

"I thought that, well, I know you resent me for not being there for you and your mom. And I can't fix the past, but I thought...maybe we could go together. Ya know, fix the future, repair what's broken between me and your mom. Maybe that'll help us, too."

Spencer stood up and took a step before he fell into his dad's arms, "Thank you," he said through tears.

William Reid held his son close and hugged him as he cried. He even felt a few tears roll down his cheeks, "I was hoping maybe we could talk to your mom about getting the help that she needs...staying on her meds and seeing someone weekly...maybe we could be a family again soon."

Spencer felt like all the wind had been punched out of him, "What?"

"I want to have my family back, Spencer. I was very much in love with your mother at one point, and I left because she wasn't helping herself. I still love her more than anything. Besides you, that is. You're my son. We made you together, and we should all be together. A family."

"I don't know what to say dad," Spencer choked, "This is too much...there's been so much going on today...I just...I can't,"

"Whoa!" William quickly got Spencer back over to the chair he had been sitting in, and grabbed him a bottle of water from his mini fridge. Spencer was feeling light headed from how overwhelming everything was. He sipped at the water for a few minutes, collecting his thoughts while William went on about their flight.

They had to leave in an hour, but thankfully Maria had stayed to help William pack their bags the previous evening. The suitcases were in the car, ready to go. They'd be in Vegas for the two weeks Spencer had off from school and in that time they'd do whatever the teenager wanted to do, a promise from his father.

Finally, when Spencer felt as if he had pulled himself together, he opened his mouth to say, "Dad. Thank you...I love you, ya know...a lot."

"I love you too buddy," William mussed his hair, "I'm going to hop in the shower and put some real clothes on," he motioned to his sweatpants and tee shirt, "Why don't you do the same?"

"Okay," Spencer nodded and the two Reid men went up to their rooms to take showers and prepare themselves for the ride to the airport and the flight. Before Spencer went into the bathroom, he looked at his phone, which he had put on his desk. Derek was probably worried out of his mind, wondering what was going on. He picked up the phone and typed a quick message before he hit send and then shut it off completely.

While standing under the warm spray of the shower a few minutes later, the euphoria of the day slowly wore off and he realized the new situation in front of him. He was going to see his mother, whom he hadn't seen in months, which was amazing beyond words. But he had to leave his friends and Derek behind on such short notice.

He thought of the text that he had sent, and hoped Derek wouldn't be hurt or upset with him.

_I know this is really sudden. Dad got plane tickets to Vegas to see Mom...we'll be gone for the rest of break...I'm so sorry. I won't get to see you before we leave. I meant it though when I said I want us to try again, I'm not just running away. I love you, Derek. So much._

* * *

**A/N: **

Hi there! Here's a new chapter for you lovelies! And it's a tad longer than some of the other chapters. At least I think.

So, wow. Drama, drama. Spencer gets to see his mom but has to suddenly leave the love of his life? OH NOES! WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WHILE SPENCER IS AWAY?

The answer is, you'll see.

But not right away.

Let me warn you right now, my next order of business might make you want to kill me. Or if you're not quite feeling homicidal, you might want to seriously harm me.

But I am taking a short break with Faces in the Hall for the time being.

I PROMISE I'M NOT GOING TO DISAPPEAR LIKE I HAVE IN THE PAST THOUGH! I'LL STILL BE AROUND!

You see, Faces in the Hall isn't my only Criminal Minds story! If you didn't know, I have another WIP called 'Expecting' which is a genderswap Reid/Hotch fic, featuring Always-A-Girl!Spencer! Cool, right? Spencer with tits! Hell yeah!

So anyway, this story Expecting is my brain child, and I'd like to take some time to work on it only. Kind of like I did with Faces in the Hall. I mean, there was a time I was pumping out 3 chapters a day, remember? I think it's only fair that Expecting gets the same love.

SO WITH THAT SAID! I will be updating Expecting for the next few weeks. And then when I make a significant dent in it, I will start ot work on both of these wonderful stories again! Yay! Fairness, I love it!

NOW PLEASE, I HOPE YOU STILL DO NOT WISH FOR ANYTHING HARMFUL TO HAPPEN TO ME! THANKS!

And if you haven't already, go check out Expecting. And love it. Just like I love it.

MUCH LOVE TO ALL OF YOU!

~NxD.


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N:**

Ahhhhhh! Hi! I'm back!

Not that I was ever gone, just working on my other piece.

But! Kind of like with Faces here, I hit a big case of writer's block. So now I'm back to the adorableness of high school Derek/Spencer love. Yay!

So, here's chapter 24. It's nothing too special, honestly. Spence and Papa Reid are visiting Vegas for Christmas so ya know, it's gonna be some family stuff. Now I will apologize in advance but, there's another big emotional scene between William and Spencer, kind of like the nice little talk they had after Spencer's attack. I'm a really big fan of these bonding moments though.

As I was explaining to my co-pilot, the one and only MyIvoryTower (HI BABE!), in the show William Reid has more of a bad guy characterization. And. I want him and Spencey to have a nice father-son relationship.

SO! I hope you enjoy it, and stay tuned for more updates!

OH I SHOULD ALSO WARN YOU that my laptop decided to BREAK ON ME AFTER HAVING IT FOR A MONTH, THE STUPID THING! So I only get to write at work or when I can swipe my sister's laptop for a bit. I apologize in advance that the updates won't be as quick as I'd like them to be FOR NOW! Once the computer is fixed, they will be much speedier.

Cool beans.

~NxD.

P.S. Please excuse my raving about The Smashing Pumpkins/Billy Corgan. I just adore them too much for my own good.

* * *

Spencer glanced out the window for what seemed like the millionth time, hoping that he'd see the sketch of the Las Vegas skyline soon. He was anticipating the flashes of bright colors, like fireworks, as they dropped lower and lower to the runway. Next to him William was lost in a book, a trait that his parents seemed to share, though he and his mother read faster that his dad could.

He had finished his novel—_A Dance With Dragons_, the fifth in the _A Song of Ice and Fire _series—within the first few hours of the flight. Now he was plugged into his music, tapping his fingers to the beat on the armrest. The Format's _Tune Out _had just ended and Spencer felt a rush of excitement when _1979_ filled his ears.

Spencer loved The Smashing Pumpkins almost as much as he loved to eat. When he was a kid, they were one of the only "pop culture" things that he knew, seeing as whenever he got home from school he was ambushed with 15th century literature. He was introduced to them by the kids he sat with at lunch—the burn outs, Spencer was sure of, but he didn't mind. He was just grateful that somebody had let him sit with them.

There was something about Billy Corgan's voice, he couldn't quite put his finger on it, that just sent shivers down his spine. If God spoke to people, Spencer imagined they would probably hear Billy Corgan singing to them, that's the only way he could describe the perfection of it.

He found himself so wrapped up in the poetic lyrics sung by the angel of a man, that he didn't notice his father was saying his name and shaking his shoulder. Quickly he tugged out an ear bud and directed his attention to his dad.

"We're here, buddy," William said with a grin that Spencer matched after initially hearing the comment. After processing the words though, Spencer face fell into a grimace and he began to silently freak out. "Hey," his father put his hand on his shaking shoulder, "What's wrong Spencer?"

"I...I don't..." he began, and the truth was, he didn't know what was wrong and why he was worrying.

"Hey, Spencer," the elder Reid now put both his hands on his son's shoulders to still his shaking, and looked into his eyes before continuing with a stern voice, "Everything is going to be okay. That's why we're here. To make everything okay."

Spencer looked into his father's eyes—hazel, unlike his mother's grey ones. He always wondered where he had gotten his speckled orbs as a kid, and now he knew. He could see worry masked behind hope and forced-assurance. William Reid was not sure that everything would be okay, Spencer knew that much. In fact, his father probably had as much fear and doubt as he did. But he wasn't giving into those anxieties. He was keeping his eyes on the best-case scenario.

And Spencer respected the hell out him for that.

Without realizing what he was doing, Spencer leaned over and wrapped his arms around his father. Slightly taken aback, William tensed at the contact but quickly shook it off to return the hug his son had given him.

After a few moments he loosened his grip and held Spencer at arm's length to glance over his shoulder, "Looks like the majority is gone," he said nodding towards the empty seats, "We should get going,"

Spencer nodded and unbuckled his seat belt, standing up and stretching as much as he could in the tight space. He and his father collected their items before shimmying out into the aisle where they grabbed their suitcases from the overhead compartment.

Stepping off the plane and into the terminal had Spencer squinting; the adjustment from the plane light to the shining sun was pretty drastic. He followed his father up the ramp, having to jog a little to keep up William's businessman pace, and they exited into the crowded airport. Being the airport expert that he was, William maneuvered them through the sea of people, avoiding anything that would slow their pace down. They used stairs where they could, stayed on the right side of the building and walked close to the walls. William practically raced down the moving sidewalk and Spencer almost tripped over himself when they stepped off, the difference in speed was so great.

They finally made it to, what Spencer believed to be, the farthest end of the airport that his dad could find and there they found the different rental car companies. William marched straight up to the Hertz desk while Spencer sat off to the side in one of the comfy armchairs they had set up. While he waited for his dad, he pulled out his phone and turned it off of airplane mode. When it began to buzz with all the missed texts he'd gotten, he was surprised to find that he had five times as many as he had expected.

_100 new messages_

JJ sent him one, thanking him again for the "best gift ever" and sending her love and support because she knew how hard of a trip this was for him to take. Emily sent another with a similar message and he smiled to himself, figuring that they probably typed them out together while cuddling or something equally adorable.

Will sent him a few jokes "to pass the time on the plane" and Spencer didn't have the heart to tell him that he hadn't received them until after the flight. Instead he sent: _thanks for the jokes, they were really funny. _

Garcia, unsurprisingly, wrote him a novel-of-a-text that complained about his leaving so quickly, begged him to be safe while gone, threatened for him to have an amazing time—OR ELSE—and was topped off with several _I love you_s woven into her words.

The rest of the mass was from Derek.

Like Garcia, he had sent a few texts that shared his feelings about Spencer leaving. But Derek seemed to be much more understanding than the quirky girl. Even though he was frustrated and upset that Spencer just upped and left after their intimate night together, he let the younger boy know that he understood there was nothing that could be done about it.

His other texts were casual; complaining about his sisters or sharing how excited he was for Christmas the following day. He talked about how good his mom's cooking smelt, but how he couldn't touch anything until the family's Christmas dinner.

Spencer learned all about his aunts and uncles and cousins coming to spend the holiday with them. He cracked up at one about Derek's "Crazy Aunt Mae" who, last year, ended up with the eggnog bowl on her head—cliche but so, so funny at the same time.

Then there were the three word texts littered in with the rest.

_I love you._

_I miss you._

Every time Spencer read one of those his heart began to ache just a bit. He missed Derek too. A lot. Especially after what they had done together the night before. God, did Spencer wish he could be with him right now, to repeat it all over again.

By the time he had made it through all of the new texts, William had finished his business at the desk and was approaching Spencer with his suitcase in one hand and a set of keys in the other.

"Ready to roll, kiddo?" he asked.

"Yep," Spencer nodded, hopping up and shoving his phone into his pocket. He grabbed the handle of his own suitcase and followed his dad out the door where a red sedan was waiting for them. The valet who had brought it over opened the trunk and both the passenger and driver side doors. William handed him a few bills with a smile and a "thank you" and then helped Spencer get his bag into the trunk.

Spencer climbed into his seat and buckled up and William joined him shortly after, starting up the car and putting it into drive. Then they were off. As his father drove down the highway, Spencer looked out the window at the scenery passing by. The last time he had seen it, he was with his grandmother and they were going towards the airport.

He closed his eyes, blinking away the painful memory, and opened them up again. _There's no need to think like that, _he told himself, _We're back. We're going to see mom right now. It's okay! It's all going to be okay. _From the lack of noise in the car, Spencer figured his father was doing the same thing right now, talking himself up for a situation he wasn't sure about. He glanced over at the man who was staring intently at the road in front of them, and for the first time Spencer actually identified with him.

Sensing the moment as well, William glanced over and smiled at his son, "How ya doing buddy?" he asked casually.

"Fine," Spencer replied, "My butt is really sore though,"

William let out a loud laugh and Spencer was ready to die of embarrassment. He never blurted things out like that!

"Mine is pretty sore too," his father stated, "If there's one thing I hate about traveling it's all the sitting."

"It's nice if you've been up and around for a while, but not in excess," Spencer agreed. He looked back out the window when he realized that the conversation had ended so shortly, but when he felt his dad's gaze on him for a minute, he looked back over.

William had turned his attention back to the highway and was getting off at an exit when he said, "You fascinate me Spencer,"

"I fascinate a lot of people," the boy responded, wondering why this was a new thing for his dad.

"I know," William nodded, "Just like your mom."

"In a good way?"

"In the best way!" his father exclaimed, "Your mom has one hell of a mind. I remember when I first met her, she blew me away!"

"What happened?" Spencer asked, genuinely interested. His mother never spoke of his dad after he left them. He never grew up hearing his mother reminisce about her budding relationship with his dad, like so many kids do.

"We were at the library," his dad began and Spencer couldn't help but blurt out,

"Of course,"

William chuckled, "Well, you know your mom. She loves to read...anyway I was at the library looking for a book for one of my economics classes. Some extra credit project that the teacher had come up with: 'read this book by next Friday and you'll get ten extra points...' something like that," he stopped for a moment to look both ways at the stop sign they were sitting at, and when he saw everything was clear, he continued, "I was lost and the librarian was a really rude old woman so I didn't want to ask her for help. Then I saw this woman who was scanning the bookshelves like she knew what she was doing. She was going so fast actually, that I had to jog to catch up with her. But I finally got her attention after a few minutes and she turned around to answer me..." he stopped for a moment and Spencer looked over at him. His eyes were clouded with something he couldn't read, and rather than jumping to conclusions he decided he would just let his father finish, "Well, I was gone the minute I laid eyes on her."

William fell silent again and Spencer looked back out the window. He knew that his father had drawn back into his normal, quiet self because he was feeling guilty. As if to confirm his thoughts, the older man piped up,

"I never meant to hurt you and your mother,"

"Dad, I know, remember we talked about it that night in my room? I understand why you left."

"Do you?" William asked, and the bluntness of the question took Spencer aback.

"I do," he nodded, "Really, dad, I do," he paused for a moment trying to think of how to tell his dad everything he'd felt for the past ten years, "I mean, at first I didn't—I hated you!" Spencer blurted out and when he saw the raw expression on his dad's face he continued softly, "You just left us. Packed up, walked out...you wrote me a note."

"I didn't know how to tell you in person," William's head was ducked slightly, an obvious sign of the shame and guilt he was feeling.

Spencer welcomed the silence following the remark, and he leaned his head against the car window, watching as they drove down the familiar strip of concrete. They were nearing the facility where his mother resided. He felt tears welling up in his eyes, emotions from everything going on, and he let one slide down his cheek before he croaked, "I thought I had done something wrong."

Next to him, William let out a pained breath. The car stopped for a red light and his father looked over at him, "Look at me Spencer," he set a serious gaze on his son, "I loved you from day one. That never changed, even when I was gone. You did nothing wrong."

"I know, I know," Spencer muttered wiping at his eyes, "I'm just being a baby."

"No, no you're not," his dad shook his head, "I am so sorry I let you feel that way. I hope that some day you can forgive me...but I wouldn't be surprised if you held that anger against me for the rest of my life."

"I don't want to do that," Spencer said quickly, "I don't want to. I don't want to be angry at anyone anymore...I just want us to be a family again!" before he knew it, tears were spilling from his eyes and he couldn't help himself, his body was shaking with sobs.

He knew this wasn't the best place to have a breakdown, while his father was driving, but William reached a hand out and rested it on his shoulder, rubbing soothing circle and muttering softly to calm him down. He didn't try to speak, just let Spencer cry, and eventually the boy calmed down, resting his head against the window again.

They were almost to the sanitarium and Spencer could feel a whole new set of feelings beginning to rise in his stomach. Fear, pain, worry...joy? Was it strange that he felt joy right now? He was happy though, among all the other feelings, to see his mom again. It had been too long—almost five months—since he last spoke to her. He wrote her every day, and received letters in return. But that was just paper and ink.

And then they were passing the road that lead to Bennington. Spencer looked from the window to his dad, wondering if maybe he was having some sort of a post-adrenaline trip. The brain works in mysterious ways, he knew that, so maybe his was playing a trick on him? William glanced over and a small smile began to tug at his lips.

"Just trust me, kiddo, we have to make a stop first."

"We passed all the hotels we could have stayed in," Spencer remarked, "Unless you found one in the strip, and then that wasn't the best idea since I'm sixteen and they'll probably—,"

"Spencer!" William exclaimed, "Trust me,"

"Okay," the boy nodded and kept a suspicious eye out the window.

It was only a few minutes later that William was turning off of into a residential neighborhood, and Spencer realized exactly where he was. He felt a lump in his throat and he wanted to speak but he couldn't. He looked around frantically at the street he grew up on; everything looked the same, and yet it was so different. The car pulled into the driveway of his house and as soon as William put it into park Spencer threw the door open and burst through the front door.

Not knowing what to expect as he entered, the sight waiting for him on the couch hit him like a diesel train,

"Mom?!"


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N:**

Hi there!

Damn it feels good to be a gangster.

Just kidding.

It feels good to be writing at much rate again! And my computer is back! It's just a Charlie Sheen sort of day! I keep winning! *Laugh track*

So I bought Season 7 this weekend, a much earned present for myself, and I have to say that I'm in love.

I am in love with everything about this show.

I have so many feelings about it!

If you have so many feelings about Criminal Minds too, please feel free to creep on me and send me a PM. I would love to rant and rave about this amazingness with my amazing readers! So yeah, totes creeping on my part but…I'm lonely at work and I love to talk about this show.

Anyway here's Chapter 25. I hope you enjoy it(:

~NxD.

* * *

"Hi baby," Diana Reid smiled at her son from where she sat on the couch. Next to her, Spencer's grandmother was holding her daughter's hand, wearing a huge grin on her lips and two streaks of tears down her cheeks. The boy felt as if he had walked into an alternate universe. He looked around frantically, debating whether this was a dream or not.

Finally he stopped and pinched himself—hard.

"Ow!"

"Spencer," Diana said standing up, taking a step towards her son. She reached out to him like a child approaching a scared dog and he met her halfway, letting her take his hand and pull him into a huge hug. He clung to his mother, burying his nose in her shirt as he cried. It smelled just like he remembered: cheap laundry detergent and her favorite perfume.

His mother didn't try to talk to him or calm him down. She just let him cry as she comforted him with soft words and reassuring pats on his back. After a while he could hear the adults in the room begin to whisper about him. He ignored them though, he was already in shock…he couldn't afford to be upset by what they were possibly saying about him.

Finally, when his sobs had calmed to sniffles, Diana held him at arm's length and smiled, "Hey there Spencer…do you want to sit down? I'll get you some water."

The boy nodded and allowed himself to be lead to the couch where he sat down next to his grandmother. The white haired woman smiled kindly and patted his shoulder before pressing a kiss to his forehead. Diana returned with a tall glass of water and William was behind her with two diet cokes and a Fresca in his hands. Spencer accepted the water and watched while his dad passed out the sodas. Fresca for his grandma, the two cokes for his parents and then they were sitting around him. A family circle.

"Spencer," Diana began.

"How long has this been planned?" he asked suddenly.

"Excuse me?"

Spencer took a sip of cold water and looked from William to Diana; "You guys had this planned, didn't you?" he wasn't angry, just curious.

William looked at the blonde woman who sat next to him and then back at his son, "Yeah Spencer, we've been planning this for a while."

"How long?"

"Since you got hurt," Diana spoke up, barley a whisper, "Your father called me and I told him I had to see you."

"But now we have a proposition for you, Spencer," his grandma spoke up and she looked at William, as if she were asking for permission, and the man nodded. She took Spencer's hand in hers and said, "Spencer, your mother and I have been doing a lot of talking with your father. We miss you and we hate being so far away, but we know having you come back here wouldn't be fair to you. You've made yourself a life in Virginia, so your father told us."

"Aside from what happened with those boys," Diana said with a pinched expression, trying to stay calm, "It sounds like you've been doing really well…" her face relaxed a little bit as she continued on, "I've been doing really well too. They changed my medicine and I'm feeling a lot better…oh Spencer, I can't keep dancing around what I want to say! We are moving to Virginia, too!"

"What?" Spencer nearly spit water halfway across the room.

"Diana," William put his hand on her knee and gave her a pointed look, "Can I explain?" she nodded and his father looked back at him, "After we talked in your room, you know, a few days after those boys hurt you…well, I had a thought. I may have left you guys here, but I never stopped loving either of you. Talking with you that night helped us start our healing process, and it felt great to finally be on the same page with you. And I knew that I wanted to feel that way with your mother too, so I gave her a call…and the next day I called her again…and after that it just became a normal thing. We talked, we began our healing process. And we decided that we wanted to try again."

"_Excuse me_?!"

"We want to be a family again Spencer," Diana took William's hand in hers this time; "We want to be a _real _family."

Spencer didn't know what to say, everything was happening so fast. First he walked into his old house to find his mother of all people sitting there, and now they were telling him that they wanted to be a _family _again?! He began to stammer, setting the glass down on the coffee table; his hands were shaking so badly that he wasn't sure he could hold it without tipping it into his lap. William and Diana looked at him with concerned expressions and his grandmother held his arm to keep him from tipping himself over.

"I…I need," he stood up and almost tripped over his feet, "I need to go lie down,"

"Of course!" Diana said hopping up to help him but he held out his hands.

"I can do it…I just need…" he stumbled out of the room and down the hall. As if he were on autopilot he guided himself to his old bedroom. Opening the door he was hit with yet another new feeling: his room hadn't changed a bit. It looked just like he remembered. He walked over to the bed that was lined up against the far wall and flopped down onto it face first. He buried his nose in the pillow to take another whiff of familiarity.

And then he was out like a light.

When he woke up, his phone was going off next to him.

It was Derek.

He looked at the clock on his end table. The red digital number read 12:03 am. "Der?" he asked when he unlocked his phone, "What's up? It's three in the morning there!"

"I know," Derek's voice came through as clear as crystal and he felt tears rushing to his eyes.

He missed his big, strong boyfriend back home. Spencer felt that rush of adrenaline again, the same one he'd felt just two nights ago at Emily's house, and he closed his eyes to keep his emotions under control.

"Spencer?" Derek asked and Spencer took a deep, shaking breath.

"I miss you,"

"Aw babycakes, I miss you too," Derek cooed and Spencer felt a scoff come up his throat, "What was that?" Derek asked.

"'Babycakes?'" he asked, "Have you been turning into Garcia without my knowing?"

Derek let out a laugh, "Apparently!" the two shared a laugh together and then when things fell silent Derek murmured, "I love you Spencer,"

"I love you too, Derek," he replied and the truth was Spencer did love Derek. He could say that honestly now. After everything he'd been through with the older man, in just the short span of four months, he gave him the most precious thing a human could give to another. He couldn't imagine himself letting anyone else having him for the first time, "I miss you so much."

"I miss you too honey," Derek said, "I was calling to say Merry Christmas,"

"That's right," Spencer smiled, it was 12:05, and Christmas officially began five minutes ago. Derek had stayed up until three in the morning just to call him and wish him a merry Christmas, right at 12:00, Nevada time, "Merry Christmas to you too, three hours late."

"Yeah thanks," Derek said almost distracted and then he quickly added, "I have lots and lots of Christmas kisses waiting for you when you get back,"

Spencer let out a little whimper, he missed Derek's kisses, "I can't wait."

"Listen Spencer…we never really got a chance to talk after the party and Emily's…"

"I know,"

"I just wanted to make sure that you're, ya know, okay…?"

"_Okay_?" Spencer blurted out, "I am much better than okay!" he slapped a hand over his mouth, embarrassed, and then he began to giggle. Derek laughed too,

"You're the one that's been hanging out with Garcia too much!" he accused jokingly and Spencer laughed a bit louder.

"Guilty!"

They let their giggles dissolve into silence and after a few moments of letting it settle comfortably, Derek picked up again, "Well I'm glad you're doing okay…I wasn't sure if I had overstepped my boundaries or not."

"Not at all, Derek, I wanted it too. I told you that already, didn't I? The morning after…before JJ and Em interrupted us,"

"I know you did, it's just…after what happened to you…I can never be too sure that you're okay…"

If Spencer were with Derek right now, he'd use his lips to shut the gorgeous boy up. Unfortunately he only had his words, "Derek!" he exclaimed.

"Huh?"

Spencer took a deep breath before saying as darkly as he could, "If you were here with me right now, I'd like nothing more than for us to do it all again…" he wanted to face palm. He sounded like he was making a business proposition.

Derek let out a pained breath and he practically moaned the boy's name out, "Spencer, I hate you right now,"

"Why?"

"Because you're talking like that while you're all the way across the country…you tease."

Spencer felt something in him change. Apparently his "sexy talk" was turning Derek on and he just…well he felt hot, for once, rather than dorky and strange. He had to keep going. He just had to keep hearing Derek whisper his name like that.

"Tease? That's not a very nice thing to call me," Spencer said and he smiled before continuing, "If I were a tease, I would have said something like: 'Oh Derek, I'm so lonely right now! I wish you were here with me…in my room…in my bed," he let his voice trail off.

"I swear to God kid…" Derek began but it was an empty threat.

"I'm not doing anything!" Spencer said innocently, "I think you're just a dirty boy, thinking about me in impure ways."

Derek let out a shameless groan and Spencer whimpered. He could only imagine what Derek could possibly be doing right now, if it was anything like the muscular boy did to him underneath the sheets. His hands were so soft…and they knew what they were doing…Spencer let out an involuntary whine.

"You're thinking of me like that too Spencer, don't lie," he could hear the smirk in Derek's voice and _oh God, _yes he was.

"I am," he couldn't lie.

"Would you want to…?" Derek began but then stopped himself.

"Would I want to what?" Spencer said quickly.

"Nothing," Derek dismissed the comment.

"Tell me," Spencer demanded, "Would I want to _what_?"

Derek muttered something so quickly that Spencer hardly heard him.

"Slow down!"

"I asked if you maybe wanted to…ya know…over the phone…?"

Spencer's breath hitched in his throat. He didn't know what to say. Did Derek just ask him that? Did he want to participate…?

Yes, yes he did.

"Spencer I didn't…we don't have to…don't mind me I'm just a—,"

"I'm not wearing my shirt right now," Spencer said quickly and he could feel the rosy blush, that usually covered his cheeks, creep down his neck and to his collar bone. He shivered against the breeze of the air conditioning—something he missed about winter in Nevada—and he imagined Derek's face as he heard him mutter a profanity into the speaker.

"Are you really gonna do this with me, Spencer?" Derek asked seriously and the younger boy nodded, even though Derek couldn't see him.

"Yes," he whispered, voice cracking with nerves, "I want to."

Derek let out that low growl again and Spencer was gone. The connection between his brain and his body no longer existed—well, actually his body was running on the rush of lust that was coursing through his veins, thanks to his overactive libido. He put his phone on speaker, turning the volume down low enough that his parents and grandma wouldn't hear him but loud enough to hear all the sexy noises that escaped Derek's mouth.

Afterwards, Spencer put his shirt back on and tugged his boxers up only slightly shamefully. He picked his phone back up and took it off of speaker, holding it up to his ear to cautiously say, "I…that was…"

"Thank you," Derek said quietly.

"Huh?"

"Thank you," he repeated, "Doing that with me…it means a lot…you trust me enough to be intimate with me in that way."

"It was really…" Spencer began, still not understanding the sincerity of Derek's comment, "Fun…invigorating…uh, scandalous…" the younger boy finished with only a hint of embarrassment in his voice.

"I love you."

Spencer was taken aback at how serious Derek's tone was, "I love you too, Derek," he sobered up from his post-orgasm haze and he began softly, "Der…is something wrong?"

"Nothing at all," Derek replied, "I just want you to know that I love you."

"I love you too, you know that."

"But I also nearly got you killed only a few months ago. If I were you, I'd still hate me,"

"The thing is I can't hate you, Derek," Spencer said seriously. He figured that this conversation had to come sometime soon, and while he wanted to save it for when they were in person, he figured that he owed it to Derek to explain himself now, "I tried believe me, I wanted to hate you as much as I could for as long as I could."

He could hear Derek take a deep, shaky breath. Spencer figured he was accepting the fact that he fucked up, for a second time, but was also listening to Spencer's words intently.

"I talked to Penelope about it a lot. Obviously she didn't pick any sides, she couldn't do that to us, but you know she was really upset with you after the fact. Everyone was."

"I know,"

"But no one could hate you. Not even me. Because I realized that…we are a family. Not just you and me. JJ, Em, Will and Penelope, too…we were just meant to be friends, meant to be together. I can't really explain why, because I don't really know why. We have primitive feelings deep within us that we just can't control…you know that…and one of those feelings is the sense of belonging. Everyone feels it somewhere, and when I think about where I feel it the most, it's with you guys."

"If we were wolves, we'd be a pack," Derek muttered jokingly.

"Exactly!" Spencer exclaimed and he could tell the older boy wasn't expecting his reaction, "That's exactly what it is. We are a pack, and we feel like we belong in that pack. Like one big family."

"One big family that's hooking up with each other,"

"You would," Spencer said flatly.

"I would what?" Derek laughed.

"You would ruin my analogy to bring up the fact that we've all coupled off."

"I couldn't help it,"

"Mhmm,"

"Aw come on babe, you know I love when you rant about something scientific."

Spencer wanted to keep brooding, but when Derek called him 'babe' he just couldn't, "I know," he sighed, "Anyway. What I'm trying to say is that even if I wanted to hate you to the end of the world and back, I just couldn't."

"Because we're a family," Derek said warmly and then he changed the subject slightly, "Speaking of family…how's yours? It must be really hard to see your mom after such a long time but awesome at the same time,"

"Yeah…" Spencer agreed and then Derek's words really caught up with his ears. _Family…his family! _"Derek!" he practically shouted and immediately clamped a hand over his mouth.

"Woah!" Derek laughed, "I'm right here,"

"I…my family!"

"Yeah, your family…what about them?"

"My mom…my dad…they were talking…"

"Well, moms and dads do talk, babe,"

"I know but they were_ talking_, talking. On the phone. A lot…"

"Okay…" Derek understood Spencer was trying to say something and the words just weren't coming as fast as his brain was working, "What happened Spencer?"

"We got into Vegas. And my dad drove right by the sanitarium! He drove by all the hotels too…I didn't know where we were going and then we pulled up to my old house. My grandma's car was there…I knew we weren't going to be alone but then I got inside and…my mom!"

"Your mom?"

"My mom, she was there! She's _here_, at home!"

"At your old house?"

"Yeah! And then she and my dad told me…well, they told me that they've been talking—,"

"I know that much Spencer. Take a deep breath," Derek suggested.

Spencer obeyed and took a few breaths to calm himself down. He was having such mixed reactions because this was the first time he was able to process his feelings since they overwhelmed him that afternoon while talking to his parents. He could hear his mother's words repeating in his head.

_We want to be a _real _family_.

"My mom…my grandma…they're moving to Virginia!"


	26. A Message from NorthernxDownpour

My dearest friends and followers:

I am deeply sorry to say that my stories will temporarily be on hiatus.

I know this is frustrating, especially since I am a bastard who leaves you with cliffhanger endings. However there's nothing I can do to change the situation that drove me to this decision so what's done is done.

Please stand by and I will try to get things in order to return to writing. Until then take care my lovelings.

~NxD


	27. Another Message From NothernxDownpour

Attention Faces in the Hall readers:

\o Hi …

I know y'all must be kind of peeved because this is my first update in a dang long time…

And it's not even a chapter.

It's an author's note.

"Boooooooooooooooo you, NxD!"

):

I know, I know. I'm a cotton headed ninny muggings! I'm so, _so _sorry I fell off the face of the universe and left you all hanging, because you are some pretty cool cats, and I truly appreciate all of your love for Faces in the Hall. So I have some news for you that may or may not make up for it:

**I'm actually rewriting this story! :D **

As a (currently untitled) _College_ AU!

Isn't that awesome?!

Well, I think it is. And I hope you do too!

I'll go right on ahead and confess to you that it won't be hitting the site anytime soon. So you can go on hating me some more for that. Because you've all been patiently waiting for the next addition for a really, really, _really _long time, and now you have to wait for the beginning of a whole new story.

But I really think (hope) that it will be worth the wait.

And again, I truly appreciate every single one of you, and I'm so very I disappeared, and I hope you will keep your eyes peeled for the new story. Even though I wouldn't be surprised and/or offended if y'all were like, "whatever lady, we're so over you." (I'd still post it anyway though).

Love to you all,

~NxD :3


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